No longer want promotion
Discussion
I'll start by apologising for the long post, I don't really know whether I'm just venting or asking advice!
I feel at the moment as though I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bit of background, I work for a large UK company, role is extremely niche, it is creative and I am producing an actual object when I refer to a project, there is very little option to move to another company as this work is unusual and rare in the UK. I earn around £40k a year before tax, so a good salary.
I have been lined up as next in line for promotion, to become a Project Lead which is the next grade. I have been acting as a Project Lead since around the beginning of 2019. I have received an annual bonus each year (which the maximum is limited by my grade), but I have not received a salary increase since 2017.
Since 2019 I have produced 4 projects to a very high standard, much to the delight of my managers who described them as “incredible” given my experience to that point, and background situation(more on that to come).
At the very end of 2020 and into 2021, I became responsible for several projects at the same time, all of these were pretty minor aside from 1 project.
I was then told that due to the current climate and the company position it would be difficult to get the promotion signed off, but if I took on more work that aided another department then we would get the signatures we need to push it through. Stupidly I agreed.
February 2021, 1 project gets very intense, largely due to unreasonable deadline requests from the director for the amount of work involved. I only had a team of 3 other people and it would have been a handful without doing the other work that I found myself responsible for. I should note at this point that in the December prior 6 contractors were brought back (They were all terminated due to covid, around 25 of them) as permanent staff on the grade that I am looking to be promoted to. They are friends of my direct managers, but also have 20odd years of experience over me. However, they do not have my level of workload.
March, and at short notice I am required to deliver the 1 intense project, and 2 of the minor ones for review on the same day. At this point I am continuously asking my supervisor for help, nothing is forthcoming. Over a 2 week period I found myself working 6am-9pm including a weekend. Prior to this I was already not easily switching off after work, thinking about what I needed to do the next day, and struggling to sleep. I was given help at the very last moment to push the projects through, but it nearly didn’t happen. My manager remarked to the director who was reviewing that we need to contain the workload/deadline better for the 1 intense project and that I had worked solidly long hours and the weekend to get it done, to which the blunt response was “there are 24 hours in a day”
I was dead at this point having worked continuously (granted I know the above is not a long period but prior to that I was already regularly starting earlier and finishing later than my core hours, and my time in lieu was mounting as there has been no paid overtime). I suffer with crohn’s disease (of which my employers are aware), stress is my biggest trigger other than food, and I was starting to have problems.
The day after the project reviews I am called into a meeting, where I am essentially told that I didn’t manage the workload effectively, and that’s something I need to learn as a lead. I argued my case that I was asking for help, to be told that the work was “only xyz” (my manager places value on one discipline much more than the others because it is what he used to do for most of his career, it's one big department with a variety of disciplines and unfortunately the work that I do is not the one that he values). I came out of the meeting completely broken, blamed despite working my balls off and doing my absolute best to keep everything pointing in the right direction, and with the discipline of work that I do (which I love and take a lot of pride in) completely undervalued.
Crohn’s flare gets quite nasty at this point and I take time out to try and manage it, only for it to get worse when I stopped and put me in hospital for 2 nights. I ended up off sick for a month.
I have returned to work and all my responsibilities have been removed and it’s like returning to the job that I love. I’m doing what I originally enjoyed, that being the hands on work, and I’m not at the mercy of my phone or a laptop. It has been iterated however that it is temporary to allow me to get back up to speed.
My annual performance review is due imminently (my employer is big on development, and setting objectives every year) and I am expecting my responsibilities and the longer term “promotion” to be discussed.
Given the experience since the new year, my attitude has somewhat changed and I am not sure I really want the promotion which only amounts to an extra couple of hundred pounds a month after tax, as from what it appears is expected of me after the last few months, it really isn’t worth the extra money (or my health!!). At this stage it feels more like a dangling carrot that’s moving ever further away anyway.
I would be happy to lead 1 project at a time in my discipline and stay at my current grade as I believe I am still the best person in that discipline, I enjoy it, and I still get to be hands on which is where I take pride in my work, because I made it, not just because I was leading it. I basically just want to continue to be bloody good at the core job that I should be doing (the hands on stuff) rather than go the next level. My biggest motivator is completing projects to an extremely high level of detail/standard.
I don’t feel that I am able to discuss things reasonably with my managers, and I feel that if I express these feelings it will leave a mark against me, either for the waste of the opportunity, or being seen as lacking ambition. I just want to do a good job, have a life outside of work, and most importantly maintain my health. The management is very opinionated, takes any criticism personally, and from the perspective of mental and physical health like to say that they care, but largely to make themselves think that they care.
I feel like I have been taken advantage of, and the last few months even felt like I was being set up to fail. I was quite capable of the job until I was overloaded with work. Perhaps part of this was my fault as I don't want to let people down and find it difficult to deny any requests.
I love the core job, I’ve tried to describe as best as I can without giving away and as I said, it’s extremely niche, there is very little of this work in the UK now so next to no opportunity to move. I don’t really know what to do, I've even considered finding a standard job at half the salary.
To anyone that made it to the end, thank you for the time.
I feel at the moment as though I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Bit of background, I work for a large UK company, role is extremely niche, it is creative and I am producing an actual object when I refer to a project, there is very little option to move to another company as this work is unusual and rare in the UK. I earn around £40k a year before tax, so a good salary.
I have been lined up as next in line for promotion, to become a Project Lead which is the next grade. I have been acting as a Project Lead since around the beginning of 2019. I have received an annual bonus each year (which the maximum is limited by my grade), but I have not received a salary increase since 2017.
Since 2019 I have produced 4 projects to a very high standard, much to the delight of my managers who described them as “incredible” given my experience to that point, and background situation(more on that to come).
At the very end of 2020 and into 2021, I became responsible for several projects at the same time, all of these were pretty minor aside from 1 project.
I was then told that due to the current climate and the company position it would be difficult to get the promotion signed off, but if I took on more work that aided another department then we would get the signatures we need to push it through. Stupidly I agreed.
February 2021, 1 project gets very intense, largely due to unreasonable deadline requests from the director for the amount of work involved. I only had a team of 3 other people and it would have been a handful without doing the other work that I found myself responsible for. I should note at this point that in the December prior 6 contractors were brought back (They were all terminated due to covid, around 25 of them) as permanent staff on the grade that I am looking to be promoted to. They are friends of my direct managers, but also have 20odd years of experience over me. However, they do not have my level of workload.
March, and at short notice I am required to deliver the 1 intense project, and 2 of the minor ones for review on the same day. At this point I am continuously asking my supervisor for help, nothing is forthcoming. Over a 2 week period I found myself working 6am-9pm including a weekend. Prior to this I was already not easily switching off after work, thinking about what I needed to do the next day, and struggling to sleep. I was given help at the very last moment to push the projects through, but it nearly didn’t happen. My manager remarked to the director who was reviewing that we need to contain the workload/deadline better for the 1 intense project and that I had worked solidly long hours and the weekend to get it done, to which the blunt response was “there are 24 hours in a day”
I was dead at this point having worked continuously (granted I know the above is not a long period but prior to that I was already regularly starting earlier and finishing later than my core hours, and my time in lieu was mounting as there has been no paid overtime). I suffer with crohn’s disease (of which my employers are aware), stress is my biggest trigger other than food, and I was starting to have problems.
The day after the project reviews I am called into a meeting, where I am essentially told that I didn’t manage the workload effectively, and that’s something I need to learn as a lead. I argued my case that I was asking for help, to be told that the work was “only xyz” (my manager places value on one discipline much more than the others because it is what he used to do for most of his career, it's one big department with a variety of disciplines and unfortunately the work that I do is not the one that he values). I came out of the meeting completely broken, blamed despite working my balls off and doing my absolute best to keep everything pointing in the right direction, and with the discipline of work that I do (which I love and take a lot of pride in) completely undervalued.
Crohn’s flare gets quite nasty at this point and I take time out to try and manage it, only for it to get worse when I stopped and put me in hospital for 2 nights. I ended up off sick for a month.
I have returned to work and all my responsibilities have been removed and it’s like returning to the job that I love. I’m doing what I originally enjoyed, that being the hands on work, and I’m not at the mercy of my phone or a laptop. It has been iterated however that it is temporary to allow me to get back up to speed.
My annual performance review is due imminently (my employer is big on development, and setting objectives every year) and I am expecting my responsibilities and the longer term “promotion” to be discussed.
Given the experience since the new year, my attitude has somewhat changed and I am not sure I really want the promotion which only amounts to an extra couple of hundred pounds a month after tax, as from what it appears is expected of me after the last few months, it really isn’t worth the extra money (or my health!!). At this stage it feels more like a dangling carrot that’s moving ever further away anyway.
I would be happy to lead 1 project at a time in my discipline and stay at my current grade as I believe I am still the best person in that discipline, I enjoy it, and I still get to be hands on which is where I take pride in my work, because I made it, not just because I was leading it. I basically just want to continue to be bloody good at the core job that I should be doing (the hands on stuff) rather than go the next level. My biggest motivator is completing projects to an extremely high level of detail/standard.
I don’t feel that I am able to discuss things reasonably with my managers, and I feel that if I express these feelings it will leave a mark against me, either for the waste of the opportunity, or being seen as lacking ambition. I just want to do a good job, have a life outside of work, and most importantly maintain my health. The management is very opinionated, takes any criticism personally, and from the perspective of mental and physical health like to say that they care, but largely to make themselves think that they care.
I feel like I have been taken advantage of, and the last few months even felt like I was being set up to fail. I was quite capable of the job until I was overloaded with work. Perhaps part of this was my fault as I don't want to let people down and find it difficult to deny any requests.
I love the core job, I’ve tried to describe as best as I can without giving away and as I said, it’s extremely niche, there is very little of this work in the UK now so next to no opportunity to move. I don’t really know what to do, I've even considered finding a standard job at half the salary.
To anyone that made it to the end, thank you for the time.
I don't know how to put this without coming across very PH, but it sounds like you're underpaid and overworked. If you're instrumental and working as hard as you describe, then you should be earning a lot more than that. Granted, I don't live in Wales, but unless the cost of living is on another level, I'd be asking them to give you a massive pay hike, or telling them to take a hike!
LunarOne said:
I don't know how to put this without coming across very PH, but it sounds like you're underpaid and overworked. If you're instrumental and working as hard as you describe, then you should be earning a lot more than that. Granted, I don't live in Wales, but unless the cost of living is on another level, I'd be asking them to give you a massive pay hike, or telling them to take a hike!
Thanks. I am Welsh as my name suggests but I am based in the Midlands. A colleague was promoted into the higher grade last year (again after already doing the job for the best part of 2 years) and told me what salary I would be looking at, which is roughly an extra 3-400 a month after tax on top of what I currently earn.Edited by WelshPetrolhead on Tuesday 27th April 00:20
WelshPetrolhead said:
LunarOne said:
I don't know how to put this without coming across very PH, but it sounds like you're underpaid and overworked. If you're instrumental and working as hard as you describe, then you should be earning a lot more than that. Granted, I don't live in Wales, but unless the cost of living is on another level, I'd be asking them to give you a massive pay hike, or telling them to take a hike!
Thanks. I am Welsh as my name suggests but I am based in the Midlands. A colleague was promoted into the higher grade last year (again after already doing the job for the best part of 2 years) and told me what salary I would be looking at, which is roughly an extra 3-400 a month after tax on top of what I currently earn.Fellow IBD’r here, so I understand the struggles!
Remember the upcoming review is YOUR review. Regardless of how well the company deal with sickness, the situation should be simple to understand - you put yourself at high levels of stress/work output and suffered as a result.
Have you considered emailing an employers guide to your manager?
https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/about-crohns-a...
It may help to give an understanding of what you’re dealing with.
Personally, I was working a high stress 60 hour job when I was first diagnosed and got to a point where I couldn’t continue. I ended up changing into a completely different line of work. This was exactly what I needed at the time and gave me chance to refocus on what was important to me. I still suffered but was freer to do so!
I’d make it clear that you want/need to stay in the current role for a year before you can reconsider promotion. You could mention the lack of support and additional workload as being a factor in your decision, but you know what the job requires and it would be unfair to offer that commitment at the moment. Be firm, keep it simple, but reiterate your condition in no way prevents you from undertaking your current role - the last thing you need it to be managed out.
Remember the upcoming review is YOUR review. Regardless of how well the company deal with sickness, the situation should be simple to understand - you put yourself at high levels of stress/work output and suffered as a result.
Have you considered emailing an employers guide to your manager?
https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/about-crohns-a...
It may help to give an understanding of what you’re dealing with.
Personally, I was working a high stress 60 hour job when I was first diagnosed and got to a point where I couldn’t continue. I ended up changing into a completely different line of work. This was exactly what I needed at the time and gave me chance to refocus on what was important to me. I still suffered but was freer to do so!
I’d make it clear that you want/need to stay in the current role for a year before you can reconsider promotion. You could mention the lack of support and additional workload as being a factor in your decision, but you know what the job requires and it would be unfair to offer that commitment at the moment. Be firm, keep it simple, but reiterate your condition in no way prevents you from undertaking your current role - the last thing you need it to be managed out.
they are breadcrumbing you into staying as you are an (underpaid) asset to the company.
In your shoes I would -
Set your hours in stone and say thats your lot so if projects are missing deadlines you need to employ more help for me - and put a dat on when this has to happen by.
Set your wages to about 15k higher than what you are on - sounds like you are doiung th ework of a very senior person for the wages of an apprentice.
Look for other work (regardless of whther you get the above two demands).
Line up another job as many a time the threat of leaving doesnt become real t some companies until you hand in your notice ( they may try to persuade you to stay at that point but it has to be on your terms)
In your shoes I would -
Set your hours in stone and say thats your lot so if projects are missing deadlines you need to employ more help for me - and put a dat on when this has to happen by.
Set your wages to about 15k higher than what you are on - sounds like you are doiung th ework of a very senior person for the wages of an apprentice.
Look for other work (regardless of whther you get the above two demands).
Line up another job as many a time the threat of leaving doesnt become real t some companies until you hand in your notice ( they may try to persuade you to stay at that point but it has to be on your terms)
You appear to "love" the job that you are in but do not need, nor want, the extra workload and responsibility. Not (re)taking the extras on again sounds like career limiting.
Honesty with your employer is easy to say but harder to air. You need to sit down and write out your thinking before verbalising eg stress triggers, under-resourced needing certain projects prioritising over others, do not necessarily enjoy the non-hands on initiatives, etc. Remember it is not a doom-list but logical and rational thinking.
"Managing your manager" and "saying no constructively" is really hard to master but needs to be done. Should they not be mature enough to recognise your signals or simply ignore then it may well be that you leave for other opportunities before both your mental and physical health suffers.
Honesty with your employer is easy to say but harder to air. You need to sit down and write out your thinking before verbalising eg stress triggers, under-resourced needing certain projects prioritising over others, do not necessarily enjoy the non-hands on initiatives, etc. Remember it is not a doom-list but logical and rational thinking.
"Managing your manager" and "saying no constructively" is really hard to master but needs to be done. Should they not be mature enough to recognise your signals or simply ignore then it may well be that you leave for other opportunities before both your mental and physical health suffers.
You need to realise your worth to the company which seems a high but your salary seem very low. You need to reign things in, it's all well and good getting praise from your superiors and directors but I doubt they are working the same long hours and getting paid a hell of a lot more.
You need to explain what your being tasked is neither realistic or healthy and your sacrificing quality family and social time for £40k a year. Personally speaking I won't work a single weekend, doesn't matter what it is it can wait until Monday morning.
The sooner you let this go on the more work they will pile onto your shoulders and your health will suffer, no doubt about it.
A relative of mine is doing the work of 5 people for a publisher and getting paid less than £20k a year. Coming up to key times she's easily working 9am - 2am to get thing done. It does get done but the boss takes her for granted, even undermining her position which she has successfully held for 4-5 years. The boss is well past retirement age and gets paid over £40k a year to shred paper, she is so incompetent the board took all her responsibility off her. She is effectively a lame duck boss but that doesn't stop her having a go.
I've told them they need to value their worth, a similar publisher has a department of 11 people doing the same job as my relative and I know none of them are getting paid a pittance.
You need to explain what your being tasked is neither realistic or healthy and your sacrificing quality family and social time for £40k a year. Personally speaking I won't work a single weekend, doesn't matter what it is it can wait until Monday morning.
The sooner you let this go on the more work they will pile onto your shoulders and your health will suffer, no doubt about it.
A relative of mine is doing the work of 5 people for a publisher and getting paid less than £20k a year. Coming up to key times she's easily working 9am - 2am to get thing done. It does get done but the boss takes her for granted, even undermining her position which she has successfully held for 4-5 years. The boss is well past retirement age and gets paid over £40k a year to shred paper, she is so incompetent the board took all her responsibility off her. She is effectively a lame duck boss but that doesn't stop her having a go.
I've told them they need to value their worth, a similar publisher has a department of 11 people doing the same job as my relative and I know none of them are getting paid a pittance.
Edited by sutoka on Tuesday 27th April 04:47
I'm kind of similar situation to you op in thst I'm in a role less than my capabilities so I'm cruising or a big fish in a little pond. I don't need the money of the next level up nor do I want the responsibility of managing the managers thst are currently on the same level as me as 6/8 are s
t. However it was made clear to my boss i didn't want promotion and they have accepted it. I even do 4 out of 5 days the other managers do less pay but I prefer the 4 day working week. Quite frankly I'm still cruising at thst so I don't know what the he'll the others do with their time. If you are happy with the money of the role you are on and the work life balance you need to make thst clear to them.
t. However it was made clear to my boss i didn't want promotion and they have accepted it. I even do 4 out of 5 days the other managers do less pay but I prefer the 4 day working week. Quite frankly I'm still cruising at thst so I don't know what the he'll the others do with their time. If you are happy with the money of the role you are on and the work life balance you need to make thst clear to them. I should note at this point that in the December prior 6 contractors were brought back (They were all terminated due to covid, around 25 of them) as permanent staff on the grade that I am looking to be promoted to. They are friends of my direct managers, but also have 20odd years of experience over me. However, they do not have my level of workload.
This part also jumped out at me. Since those staff were brought back as perms the workload if anything should have decreased, been spread out but instead you've been snowed. I think they'd be mad to get rid of you but are they pressurising you to leave? Oh he's moaning about 'going the extra mile' he's off sick again etc etc. Be interesting to hear what goes on behind closed doors.
Are these new perms deserving of their roles or are they in because they are mates with the management. Old boys club scenario. The company could ultimately suffer in scenarios like this and back fire on their plans.
This part also jumped out at me. Since those staff were brought back as perms the workload if anything should have decreased, been spread out but instead you've been snowed. I think they'd be mad to get rid of you but are they pressurising you to leave? Oh he's moaning about 'going the extra mile' he's off sick again etc etc. Be interesting to hear what goes on behind closed doors.
Are these new perms deserving of their roles or are they in because they are mates with the management. Old boys club scenario. The company could ultimately suffer in scenarios like this and back fire on their plans.
Thanks everyone for the responses so far.
The director pushed to have some of the contract staff back and they brought back 6 guys on the perm lead grade. There is a rumour that they also came straight in at the top of the salary band for that grade. It's very much a jobs for the boys situation. They come in, do the hands on work and go home, with very little management involvement or responsibility.
Ive been at my grade since I started in 2014, on top of the stuff that has been loaded on me recently, I'm also a trained fire Marshall, trained to use vehicle moving equipment, and also take responsibility for COSHH Risk Assessments.
The director won't sign off my promotion because I don't work on his direct jobs (he won't have me on them), so the work for the other department which was given to me is where his wife is the director, to get her signature instead.
I don't think they are trying to push me out, I'm told that I'm a valuable member of the team and the work that I do in my discipline is of a high standard. The month off sick is only one of two periods since 2014, the other time I was in hospital for a week due to a crohns inflicted heavy internal bleed. I do have fairly regular appointments due to my medication and some investigations but to my employers credit they are very good with that.
I don't like to be defined by my condition and I work to the best of my ability, and I feel that I have a very good work ethic, but there are some areas where I'm not playing with a full deck of cards compared to someone who is normal. The fact my condition is largely invisible is a blessing and also a curse. I have days where struggle to get out of bed, but I make it in and put the effort in anyway.
Salary wise, rises are normally negotiated by the union, I get half automatically and the other half depending on my performance, and then an annual bonus which is determined by my performance on top.
The union has not held any negotiations with the company since 2018 due to the headwinds the company has been working through, however I have still been receiving a bonus. In this industry the pay is average, there are some that pay a little less and some a bit more, but the whole industry is struggling and jobs are hard to come by. I know most of the contractors I know that have been laid off have still not found similar work, and some of this was the case even before the pandemic.
This was my dream job but unfortunately the way I have been treated recently just makes me want to go and do pretty much anything else, even taking a salary hit, but I'm so specialised I will have to completely start from scratch.
MercedesClassic said:
This part also jumped out at me. Since those staff were brought back as perms the workload if anything should have decreased, been spread out but instead you've been snowed. I think they'd be mad to get rid of you but are they pressurising you to leave? Oh he's moaning about 'going the extra mile' he's off sick again etc etc. Be interesting to hear what goes on behind closed doors.
Are these new perms deserving of their roles or are they in because they are mates with the management. Old boys club scenario. The company could ultimately suffer in scenarios like this and back fire on their plans.
The story behind this is prior to the pandemic, generally, the contractors worked on the projects the directly involved the director, and the permies/younger staff (such as me, I'm 31, youngest guy is maybe 23) work on the 'lesser' (depending on how you look at it) projects. When the pandemic hit we lost all the contractors and as such the perms and younger staff were required to work on the directors projects. The director is very picky about who works on his jobs, his boys only and noone else. My managers are/were his boys and are also just yes men. Are these new perms deserving of their roles or are they in because they are mates with the management. Old boys club scenario. The company could ultimately suffer in scenarios like this and back fire on their plans.
The director pushed to have some of the contract staff back and they brought back 6 guys on the perm lead grade. There is a rumour that they also came straight in at the top of the salary band for that grade. It's very much a jobs for the boys situation. They come in, do the hands on work and go home, with very little management involvement or responsibility.
Ive been at my grade since I started in 2014, on top of the stuff that has been loaded on me recently, I'm also a trained fire Marshall, trained to use vehicle moving equipment, and also take responsibility for COSHH Risk Assessments.
The director won't sign off my promotion because I don't work on his direct jobs (he won't have me on them), so the work for the other department which was given to me is where his wife is the director, to get her signature instead.
I don't think they are trying to push me out, I'm told that I'm a valuable member of the team and the work that I do in my discipline is of a high standard. The month off sick is only one of two periods since 2014, the other time I was in hospital for a week due to a crohns inflicted heavy internal bleed. I do have fairly regular appointments due to my medication and some investigations but to my employers credit they are very good with that.
I don't like to be defined by my condition and I work to the best of my ability, and I feel that I have a very good work ethic, but there are some areas where I'm not playing with a full deck of cards compared to someone who is normal. The fact my condition is largely invisible is a blessing and also a curse. I have days where struggle to get out of bed, but I make it in and put the effort in anyway.
Salary wise, rises are normally negotiated by the union, I get half automatically and the other half depending on my performance, and then an annual bonus which is determined by my performance on top.
The union has not held any negotiations with the company since 2018 due to the headwinds the company has been working through, however I have still been receiving a bonus. In this industry the pay is average, there are some that pay a little less and some a bit more, but the whole industry is struggling and jobs are hard to come by. I know most of the contractors I know that have been laid off have still not found similar work, and some of this was the case even before the pandemic.
This was my dream job but unfortunately the way I have been treated recently just makes me want to go and do pretty much anything else, even taking a salary hit, but I'm so specialised I will have to completely start from scratch.
sutoka said:
You need to realise your worth to the company which seems a high but your salary seem very low. <snip>
Sorry to Sutoka for snipping his post, but this bit struck me as being something worth repeating.You seem to think that you are well paid, but honestly, that is a low salary for what you are doing.
As an example of 'another job' with a similar salary: I just sat on an interview panel recruiting for a Contracts Manager position with a housing association. The job paid £46k. There is no management of staff or department, simply management of contracts. Essentially making sure that the external companies who provide services are keeping up their end of the deal. Gardening contractors, roofing contractors, property repair contractors. That kind of thing.
It's a fairly easy job, low stress and low demand work environment, 37 hour week, enforced 4pm finish for everyone on a Friday, generous sick pay terms, good pension, work from home, Flexi time, help on hand left right and centre if you are struggling with anything, and so on.
Compare that sort of thing to what you are doing.
Bottom line: You are getting notably underpaid for your efforts, and you need to either have a serious discussion with your employer about a generous salary hike, or you need to find another job that pays more and asks less of you.
I appreciate you like the work, like the industry and even like the company you work for, but sooner or later you will realise that you really are just an employee, and when push comes to shove they will make your life difficult or get shot of you in a flash if it suits them.
Once you have realised this, you would be well advised to seek employment with a company that looks after you, and puts your wellbeing, salary, and working hours, on par with what they ask of you. It needs to be a balanced relationship.
I was 28 when I realised that I was flogging myself for a business who had thin veneer of 'care' towards me, but really I was just an employee number on their payroll.
Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 27th April 10:57
I have seen this in the past. Company gives you extra to do but not the pay/ promotion that goes with it. Once working the role you are expected to perform and the reward will come in the future but never does.
The re are 2 solutions I can see for you. Find another job is the obvious one as this would sort the pay issues out. The other is to use the review. This needs to be against your current job description not the promotion you are being strung along with.
The company will try and have it both ways - junior grade pay with senior grade work. Put them in to a position where they have to choose one option.
The re are 2 solutions I can see for you. Find another job is the obvious one as this would sort the pay issues out. The other is to use the review. This needs to be against your current job description not the promotion you are being strung along with.
The company will try and have it both ways - junior grade pay with senior grade work. Put them in to a position where they have to choose one option.
Sounds very similar to where I am, you need to work the next grade for a few years before you get promoted, marginal salary uplift for promotion, your face needs to fit, directors being unaware of half of the work they demand and review.
If you're promoted do you get "working time sovereignty" and access to the company car scheme?
If so, I took the decision about 5 years ago not to chase promotion (in my case due to brain injury) and it's very tough to stay in your grade, doing the work for a long time, being directed by people who know your job less well than you do / playing politics / who are plainly fools.
There's also the fact that in my company at least, promotion to manager is the only progression route, so managers hang on to as much technical input as possible so you can end up treated as a performing monkey if you're not careful. For me, that aspect increased once the managers realised I wasn't trying to become one of their gang.
Personally I'd suggest moving on if you can, if much of the above rings true. You don't tend to see many contented employees in the sub-management grades by the time they're 60 - they generally can't wait to get the hell out of there. Tells you a lot.
If you've got another 30 years or more to work, think carefully about whether you want to stay in role for that long, because once it's known you're not striving for promotion it will affect how you're seen and how you're treated going forward.
If you're promoted do you get "working time sovereignty" and access to the company car scheme?
If so, I took the decision about 5 years ago not to chase promotion (in my case due to brain injury) and it's very tough to stay in your grade, doing the work for a long time, being directed by people who know your job less well than you do / playing politics / who are plainly fools.
There's also the fact that in my company at least, promotion to manager is the only progression route, so managers hang on to as much technical input as possible so you can end up treated as a performing monkey if you're not careful. For me, that aspect increased once the managers realised I wasn't trying to become one of their gang.
Personally I'd suggest moving on if you can, if much of the above rings true. You don't tend to see many contented employees in the sub-management grades by the time they're 60 - they generally can't wait to get the hell out of there. Tells you a lot.
If you've got another 30 years or more to work, think carefully about whether you want to stay in role for that long, because once it's known you're not striving for promotion it will affect how you're seen and how you're treated going forward.
FNG said:
Sounds very similar to where I am, you need to work the next grade for a few years before you get promoted, marginal salary uplift for promotion, your face needs to fit, directors being unaware of half of the work they demand and review.
If you're promoted do you get "working time sovereignty" and access to the company car scheme?
The promotion doesn't include the car scheme but the 'grandfathered' grade that is the same level did. Given the location in your profile your probably thinking of the right place, if not then somewhere broadly similar!If you're promoted do you get "working time sovereignty" and access to the company car scheme?
Yes the progression is basically to become a manager and it is naturally assumed that everyone wants to be one. There are too many as it is and most of them have been promoted well beyond their ability.
Edited by WelshPetrolhead on Tuesday 27th April 14:42
If that means you're looking at a D grade, I'm very surprised you would be expected to burn the midnight oil or have a massive workload.
I'm a D, and while I haven't been paid overtime for the last 6-7 years, I'm free to leave when I've done my hours, and it's my manager's job to make sure he's got enough people to do the work.
I've chosen to do extra hours at times - regularly did 50 hour weeks last autumn and winter while learning new systems - but that's my choice, partly because I'm not a clock watcher and partly to smooth the way for medical absences and the like.
I'd never expect to be pulled up for missing a deadline that I'd already flagged up would be missed. Of course you may need to flag it higher than your immediate management as they might not care to take it any further, and then it's not them who has failed, it's you...
It's making me wonder how much of your recent experience has been because of your manager and the messaging he's sending further up the line. A sound relationship with the senior manager is worth its weight, so you can make sure the messages are getting through and the SM can tell if your manager is playing silly games. It's not unheard of.
I'm a D, and while I haven't been paid overtime for the last 6-7 years, I'm free to leave when I've done my hours, and it's my manager's job to make sure he's got enough people to do the work.
I've chosen to do extra hours at times - regularly did 50 hour weeks last autumn and winter while learning new systems - but that's my choice, partly because I'm not a clock watcher and partly to smooth the way for medical absences and the like.
I'd never expect to be pulled up for missing a deadline that I'd already flagged up would be missed. Of course you may need to flag it higher than your immediate management as they might not care to take it any further, and then it's not them who has failed, it's you...
It's making me wonder how much of your recent experience has been because of your manager and the messaging he's sending further up the line. A sound relationship with the senior manager is worth its weight, so you can make sure the messages are getting through and the SM can tell if your manager is playing silly games. It's not unheard of.
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