May be undervalued at work
Discussion
Evening all,
I've a bit of a difficult situation.
I'm in a company where i was taken on into a new trade that realistically i didn't know. The boss took a chance and employed me, i had lost my previous job (company went bankrupt). I've worked very hard and proved myself, but after a recent review i am still at a low pay rate. I had brought up directly what i wanted in pay, but was denied it. I'm now approaching 2 years in the company.
The company is also a 60 mile daily commute from home so eating up precious family time and costing money. Factor that in and the jobs closer to home represent a 25% increase in pay.
Looking around I can get a similar job with a higher pay rate (10-15%) and much better pension/conditions/close to home. My trade is very sought after and the boss was looking for months to find someone before I joined.
The job itself I do enjoy. Its creative, enjoyable and some of the people there are great. On one hand I want to march in and demand more pay to stay, but on the other hand I feel that will damage the relationship with the boss permanently, even if he did give me the extra pay I ask for.
I wonder if there is a way to rescue this situation, I have been deliberating for days now and starting to think the only way is to go.
Has anyone had similar experiences?
Thanks.
I've a bit of a difficult situation.
I'm in a company where i was taken on into a new trade that realistically i didn't know. The boss took a chance and employed me, i had lost my previous job (company went bankrupt). I've worked very hard and proved myself, but after a recent review i am still at a low pay rate. I had brought up directly what i wanted in pay, but was denied it. I'm now approaching 2 years in the company.
The company is also a 60 mile daily commute from home so eating up precious family time and costing money. Factor that in and the jobs closer to home represent a 25% increase in pay.
Looking around I can get a similar job with a higher pay rate (10-15%) and much better pension/conditions/close to home. My trade is very sought after and the boss was looking for months to find someone before I joined.
The job itself I do enjoy. Its creative, enjoyable and some of the people there are great. On one hand I want to march in and demand more pay to stay, but on the other hand I feel that will damage the relationship with the boss permanently, even if he did give me the extra pay I ask for.
I wonder if there is a way to rescue this situation, I have been deliberating for days now and starting to think the only way is to go.
Has anyone had similar experiences?
Thanks.
Countdown its complicated, any new job may not be as enjoyable as the current. Although may be as well I suppose. The current job is a tight nit family sort of and I feel attached, is that ridiculous in a job!? It sounds odd as I type it.
Pothole, I think both available jobs will be pretty secure either way.
Pothole, I think both available jobs will be pretty secure either way.
Consider the current Covid situation and ask yourself whether the perception of there being better jobs? If what you say is still true then just have a grown up conversation.
If they’re not daft then they’ll realise your value and understand the cost of replacing you.
No need for ultimatums, just a straight up “i feel I’m worth more and I feel X is more appropriate. Please consider it”
If they’re not daft then they’ll realise your value and understand the cost of replacing you.
No need for ultimatums, just a straight up “i feel I’m worth more and I feel X is more appropriate. Please consider it”
eniacs said:
Legend, I am going through the processes now. But ultimately asking myself what I want as the outcome. Initially I was getting a job offer to try and force more pay, but thinking about it it may not be the best path. I am now erring towards just leaving.
My advice would be not to use a new job as a way of demanding "a pay rise or I will leave". The chances are you will be leaving.I was on the other side of this and our policy was to always pay what we thought the job was worth to us, and if we had people threatening to leave if we didn't pay more, they left.
Pay one and you might have a few more knocking on your door for their increase and before you know it your salary budgets were through the roof.
If you would rather stay put I would have another chat with your boss and see if you can reach a compromise. If not then personally I would leave because it will always be at the back of your mind.
Try to part on good terms though, you never know, you might need a favour in the future, or they might need you.
Good luck anyway.
Depends on your industry/employer a little. Where I'm at the only way to get a decent pay rise is hand them your new contract from someone else, I think it's horrendous but there you go.
Ideally you want to have an open chat about it. If they don't want to pay you more, get a new job and leave (assuming the job is everything you want, there's more to a job that just money)
Ideally you want to have an open chat about it. If they don't want to pay you more, get a new job and leave (assuming the job is everything you want, there's more to a job that just money)
mcg_ said:
(assuming the job is everything you want, there's more to a job that just money)
Absolutely! ‘Money’ often ranks lower than job satisfaction, job security and opportunities to develop in many staff surveys. If you feel fulfilled overall in a role, then some would say be grateful. It seems however that recompense feels out of kilter for you. So assuming all else with the role is good, then as suggested above, have another conversation about that aspect, but sharing that all other bits of the role are good.Additionally, could you look for some other way to improve the overall package? What about if you asked for funding to do some training or academic qualifications you’ve always wanted to do. Any other benefits such as increased pension contribution or corporate gym membership or even private healthcare?
Being an employer I have definitely encountered a situation like yours in the past. I have employed people to give them a chance, and have been blown away many times by the way people have run with their opportunity. The problem is, once they have grown their abilities...is there still a place for them with me? If not, how do I handle that?
The truth is, no smaller employer can guarantee the opportunities their employees deserve. It is impossible to provide the best and brightest with the challenges and rewards they seek. This means that you often end up rewarding the best employees the least because you recognise that they need to move on. It may not be the case in your situation, but it’s worth having a conversation with your employer because they may be amenable to a variety of solutions.
The truth is, no smaller employer can guarantee the opportunities their employees deserve. It is impossible to provide the best and brightest with the challenges and rewards they seek. This means that you often end up rewarding the best employees the least because you recognise that they need to move on. It may not be the case in your situation, but it’s worth having a conversation with your employer because they may be amenable to a variety of solutions.
Another poster has alluded to the fact that a job is much more than just the money - however, for some individuals it is all about the money.
There is the old work-life balance question? Guess you will get at an extra hour at home with family each day. How important is this if you have children/parents/family.
10-15% wage rise is not insignificant. How about career progression with the various employers?
Work/office life culture - a close team that feels like family is a great place to be rather than politics/back-stabbing/etc.
Fundamentally, you have no decision to make until you have applied and secured an offer from an alternative employer. At that stage you can have an open and honest discussion with your "boss" with no blackmail/threats but simply laying out why. If at this stage, you must be very much prepared to leave and step a little bit into the unkown but then, the world is full of opportunites.
There is the old work-life balance question? Guess you will get at an extra hour at home with family each day. How important is this if you have children/parents/family.
10-15% wage rise is not insignificant. How about career progression with the various employers?
Work/office life culture - a close team that feels like family is a great place to be rather than politics/back-stabbing/etc.
Fundamentally, you have no decision to make until you have applied and secured an offer from an alternative employer. At that stage you can have an open and honest discussion with your "boss" with no blackmail/threats but simply laying out why. If at this stage, you must be very much prepared to leave and step a little bit into the unkown but then, the world is full of opportunites.
A job being more than just the money is true, but assumes a baseline of the pay at least being acceptable.
Write down a list of pros and cons of the job (pros being, it seems, that you like working there and the people you work with, cons being that you feel you’re underpaid and the commute is long - I’m sure you have more in each category), and have a think about what’s most important to you...
It doesn’t sound like they’re going to pay you more, and while you might get a counter offer when you resign, I wouldn’t take it if you’re with a small company - it’ll always feel on both sides that you held them to ransom, and having been forced to give you a good bump one year, you might assume the years following will be low or zero as “you had a large rise two years ago”.
Also, in these covid-y times, can they afford to pay you more?
Write down a list of pros and cons of the job (pros being, it seems, that you like working there and the people you work with, cons being that you feel you’re underpaid and the commute is long - I’m sure you have more in each category), and have a think about what’s most important to you...
It doesn’t sound like they’re going to pay you more, and while you might get a counter offer when you resign, I wouldn’t take it if you’re with a small company - it’ll always feel on both sides that you held them to ransom, and having been forced to give you a good bump one year, you might assume the years following will be low or zero as “you had a large rise two years ago”.
Also, in these covid-y times, can they afford to pay you more?
Edited by DanL on Saturday 10th October 09:13
Thanks for the replies so far. Good to see varying opinions.
In answer to a few points;
Money is an important factor to me, but as many have said job enjoyment is important too. At this point I could be getting a 25% effective increase when combining the saving in time, cost of driving and the value of the package the new company is offering. I don't think I would leave for 10% more. Even if the new job looked better. But 25% is a figure i cant ignore.
Could the company afford my new pay - yes but of course they don't want to. They are quite a low payer to everyone else. I have a feeling i am in the top 3 and getting 25% on top would be me at the highest. (The company is in a small town miles from anywhere so can pay local people less as they haven't got much choice. However for me, living in a city I have far more choice.) In these tough times our company has flourished so business is presently booming.
My gut feel is that there is no way that I can discuss this with the boss, without him feeling like I've backed him into a corner.
In answer to a few points;
Money is an important factor to me, but as many have said job enjoyment is important too. At this point I could be getting a 25% effective increase when combining the saving in time, cost of driving and the value of the package the new company is offering. I don't think I would leave for 10% more. Even if the new job looked better. But 25% is a figure i cant ignore.
Could the company afford my new pay - yes but of course they don't want to. They are quite a low payer to everyone else. I have a feeling i am in the top 3 and getting 25% on top would be me at the highest. (The company is in a small town miles from anywhere so can pay local people less as they haven't got much choice. However for me, living in a city I have far more choice.) In these tough times our company has flourished so business is presently booming.
My gut feel is that there is no way that I can discuss this with the boss, without him feeling like I've backed him into a corner.
extra pay will not address the commute issue. If you take a step up/more pay in your current role is there any way to go up after? If you take a new job with a new company nearer home will there be more room for progression as you are likely to start further down the pecking order.
Nice in current time if your role (potential roles) are sought after and secure.
Nice in current time if your role (potential roles) are sought after and secure.
From what I read, closer to home for more money seems a no-brainer. i.e. reduced commuting costs and more personal time into the bargain.
The only uncertainty is the perceived hassle of moving to a new employer and the risk of the new role not being what you expected. I'm not saying that's what it will be but it's the 'better the devil you know' conundrum weighed up against a better work-life balance. Only you can make the decision.
I agree with a previous poster : I'm not in favour of securing a new role to bargain on your existing role : it tarnishes your reputation either way.
If you feel your skills are under-rewarded enough that you seek another role, be man enough to move or not move without engineering the situation.
The only uncertainty is the perceived hassle of moving to a new employer and the risk of the new role not being what you expected. I'm not saying that's what it will be but it's the 'better the devil you know' conundrum weighed up against a better work-life balance. Only you can make the decision.
I agree with a previous poster : I'm not in favour of securing a new role to bargain on your existing role : it tarnishes your reputation either way.
If you feel your skills are under-rewarded enough that you seek another role, be man enough to move or not move without engineering the situation.
You obviously aren't happy in this job.
Find one of the better paid ones close to home, it is essentially a double pay increase as you won't be paying to travel.
Just tell your boss when you leave that the commute is a nightmare and it's causing you problems with the family. The likelihood is thay you won't have much of a relationship with the boss anyway so if he loses his hair about you leaving then it only lasts as long as your notice period.
The job would drop you in 5 minutes if they had to, never forget that.
Find one of the better paid ones close to home, it is essentially a double pay increase as you won't be paying to travel.
Just tell your boss when you leave that the commute is a nightmare and it's causing you problems with the family. The likelihood is thay you won't have much of a relationship with the boss anyway so if he loses his hair about you leaving then it only lasts as long as your notice period.
The job would drop you in 5 minutes if they had to, never forget that.
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff