Comments on: Dare you ask for a raise now?

By: William T. Sevierville, Tn.

William T. Sevierville, Tn. — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:28:47 +0000

I employ two very talented and intelligent people (and yes I have told THEM so). Yes the recession has hurt sales, so that I am unable to give a hourly raise just yet, but I am alternating weeks on giving my people a $50 gas gift card and/or grocery gift card (both drive a long ways and have small children) I also have started an in-house daycare for their kids. A regular pay raise would not mean as much to these two, because they know that their families are gladly supported by their employer

By: Annie

Annie — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 13:22:09 +0000

Good luck, Lynn!

By: LynnF, Austin TX

LynnF, Austin TX — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:45:32 +0000

I was promised a review & raise after my first year with my company, too. Of course when my review was due, my boss told me she was too busy & she was. Then, we had a big layoff. About a month later, the company hired on new people & are paying them big $$$s. In June the president of the company announced there would be no pay raises for anyone & if you did happen to get one, it would be very little. Of course, morale is down. Their way of trying to boost it is by having company luncheons & little parties with prizes. My thoughts, along with others, are these parties & luncheons don’t pay our bills or make us feel any better…give us our well deserved pay raise! A pay raise no matter what amount is better than none at all!

I do have everything documented and ready to go for my first review, which should actually be my second come Feb 2010. Here’s to hoping!

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:44:32 +0000

Jess, you need to sit down with your boss and ask what happened to your promotion. (And just hope she hasn’t heard that you discussed it with her boss behind her back — very risky move on your part!) Even if you get an evasive answer, at least you will be putting her on notice that you are not willing to let it slide! Readers, have you ever been in a similar situation? How did it get resolved (if it did)?

By: Jess, Lehigh Valley, PA

Jess, Lehigh Valley, PA — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:23:50 +0000

I was promised a promotion in August of 2008. My boss knew I was trying to expand my family and told me that she was working on promoting me, but couldn’t promote me and then have me go on maternity leave.
In October, I couldn’t hide it anymore and announced my pregnancy at 4 1/2 months along. I told my boss that I hoped it wouldn’t have an effect on the promotion we discussed. She said of course it wouldn’t.
When I asked again in November about it, she told me that her boss had said we needed to wait on it. I secretly went to her boss to discuss it and he never even knew anything about it. So, now someone is lying to me.
I’m back from my maternity leave for 2 months now and not really sure how to approach this again. The company is doing well, it’s stable, but we have postponed performance reviews for 6 months for all employees, but that doesn’t include promotions, bonuses, and deserved merit increases, or so we’re told. Oh, the worst part of my whole story is that I’m in HR and my boss is the VP of HR.

By: Mike Hoover, Alabama

Mike Hoover, Alabama — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 02:21:26 +0000

In November 2008 I received a promotion that came with a 43% base pay raise. Our yearly evaluations are every April and I certainly did not expect to get a raise, but I still received the standard 3%. On top of that, we have introduced a new ramped up performance bonus system.

My suggestion to many of the previous comments is: find a recession proof company that is both ethical and sustainable. Successful companies understand that employees are their most valuable resource and reward them. This can only be done while profits are being made though. This type of company does not grow on trees but hold on when you find one.

To another point: overvalued employees should always be downgraded or let go (not only during recessions). Make sure you are worth more than the compensation package; this way a promotion or raise is always around the corner.

If you are an A+ employee, your boss will always find a way to reward. If he doesn’t, find another company.

By: John, Winnipeg Canada

John, Winnipeg Canada — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:38:21 +0000

Back in early 2005 I was promoted to a mid-level management position, responsible for roughly 8 front line managers and 180 hourly employees. Every project I had touched the prior 3 years turned into gold and I was promoted because of this.

My contract stipulated a $6K increase after six months in position.

At roughly six months in role, the company downsized 50% of the headcount at my position, keeping me in favor of some pretty tennured individuals. Times were tough, the company wasn’t doing well were the general reasons for the downsizing.

So, there I was, quite literally managing a project that used to have 4 managers at my position, by myself. And I had a contract that called for a raise.

So I went to my new boss, someone who I had never spoken with before. Our first “getting to know you” conversation was interesting and he commended me for sticking to what was promised. I got my raise the next pay period, with back pay to the date of my promotion because I was told I should have had the extra money to start with.

The flip side to this story is recently I was headhunted by another company and asked for a matching offer to stay in my current role (in 4+ years I have moved myself up to #1 in the stack rank) and had it denied. New boss, new rules it seems.

So, don’t be afraid to have the courage of your convictions. Like the article indicates, go prepared, with the right attitude and know your audience.

For what it’s worth, I didn’t accept the competing job offer. But for the sake of an extra $5K, my company has me actively looking for alternative employment… top performance needs to have it’s rewards, either with the current employer, or a different one who will recognize what I bring.

By: George Dover, NH

George Dover, NH — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:58:24 +0000

I was actually approached by my manager that I would recieve a raise this year. I even went one step further after another employee in our department decided to leave. I asked for his paycheck and to take over some of his responsibilities. My manager said, he was thinking the samething and would do what he could to get me the boost in pay. However, not guaranteed, but I learned if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

By: Florida

Florida — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 21:48:31 +0000

I think that companies are realizing about the potential of their current employees. When the company lacks personnel the ones that remain should give their best and if they do, they ought to be paid for it. If an employee is doing the work of 1.5 or 2 people he/she is saving money to the company and the company should reward and keep this employee motivated by increasing their salary at least with a small figure, it will demonstrate the willingness to keep the employee motivated. I am in the position of giving raises and certainly have noticed one employee’s potential that I do not want to let go once the job market improves.
We will keep him motivated and satisfied and when the crisis passes he may or may not look around for other jobs, but at least we tried.

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:54:13 +0000

Jimmy, call me paranoid, but it sounds to me like they are hoping you’ll quit so they can put someone younger and cheaper in your job. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

By: Annie

Annie — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:52:29 +0000

Thomas, aim high! If you’re already doing a job 3 salary bands above your own, put together a strong case for why you should be compensated accordingly, and then present it as soon as the pay freeze ends. Even if you get a raise that’s only 1 or 2 bands above where you are now, you’re still better off!

By: Amy. P Tampa FL

Amy. P Tampa FL — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:07:34 +0000

We are not getting a raise this year but surprisingly my company is hiring more people.
It’s shameful, they are using our raise money to add more people to our staff.
As soon as the economy get back I will start looking for another job!
I know I won’t be the only one.

By: Glen Gardner, NJ

Glen Gardner, NJ — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:04:38 +0000

Layoffs have only started a month ago at the company that currently employs me but I did receive my cost of living adjustjment in April along with a bonus. It was a small bonus, but I was surprised to get one at all. (I didn’t get one last year).

By: Chris, Milwaukee, WI

Chris, Milwaukee, WI — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:02:02 +0000

My company froze pay increases except for raises, and eliminated bonuses for this year. However, I got a promotion six months ago and am still waiting for the pay increase. Just found out last week I am getting another promotion so it will be interesting to see what, if anything, happens to my salary.

By: Jimmy Nixa, MO

Jimmy Nixa, MO — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:01:00 +0000

Can someone give me some advice? I was making decent money then in Feruary got my pay cut 27%. When you consider overtime etc. the reality will be closer 35%. There are a number of people in the dept. but so far as I know I was the only one to get their pay cut even though in 2 1/2 years I’ve been there I’ve had two excellent reviews and a raise the first time. Now I am working with and training people less qualified than me who are earning more. There have been several lay offs and more are expected so I guess I’m supposed to grateful I have a job. It’s pretty tough though when the company has had lay offs and then recently hired a number of new employees, all fresh college grads to fill positions that were either newly created or had no need of being filled. Also there were no postings announcing any openings so that current employees had an opportunity to apply for these positions. I’m looking for something else but there just isn’t anything in my field even close to local. Any tips?

By: Thomas Carr, washington, DC

Thomas Carr, washington, DC — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:59:26 +0000

I have been working for my company for two years and I have not had a pay increase. Since I have started, I have more responsibility than every before due to layoffs. I am doing the job of someone with a pay of three bands above me. My company has a salary freeze now. When the salary freeze is over, should I ask for a promotion to the job I am doing now? Or should I be happy with a smaller promotion?

By: Mark, Baltimore, MD

Mark, Baltimore, MD — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:42:59 +0000

My company made a few layoffs and nixed overtime this year. Yearly (merit-based) raises have been delayed 7 months to avoid more layoffs. We also have to burn 1 vacation day each month, or take 1 furlough day for us hourly guys. Overall, though, it hasn’t been too ugly — most of the layoffs were contract and temporary employees.

By: Chris, Allentown, PA

Chris, Allentown, PA — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:39:41 +0000

My company has performance reviews in March and I received a 1.5 percent raise in April – down from 7 percent last year and 6.5 percent the year before that.

By: Joey, Wappingers New York

Joey, Wappingers New York — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:24:28 +0000

I work for a major computer company. They are giving raises in the Low Cost Countries only. I can go 4 years before I get a raise. I get excellent and above average appraisals. That means nothing. THey have excuses for everything. If your business unit didn’t make its targets to the economy dictates not raises to well the bucket of money was small and I couldn’t give you anything. I quite actually can’t stand corporate America. I keep trying to get another job elsewhere but all leads go nowhere. When I finally do get an interview with my experience the next prospective employer thinks I am making a 6 figure salary and that I would be either bored or not happy for the salary they would give me. Everybody thinks we get tons of perks and a huge salary which are tied in to our great profits we show the wall street crowd and the marketplace in general. It sucks….the employee never wins or gets a break.

By: Mick, New York, NY

Mick, New York, NY — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:21:55 +0000

In professional services and wages frozen here… Treating your best people the same as your worst discourages top performers and gives the bottom quartile a false sense of security and entitlement. Am seeing signs of both internally… office abandoned by best and worst alike at or before 5.