underpaid by 14k... help!

Bamber19

getmore4less wrote: »

A smart employee would then telll you to cough up for the last X years if they want to stay or just say F.O. I'm leaving.

That sounds about the point where the employee has usually exaggerated their power (in any event wouldn't a smart employee have got the pay rise years before?) and is called up on their offer to leave.

redsclubbedup

i was in a similar situation this time last year - i wrote a letter to my boss explaining what I did in comparison to a contracted worker who was at the company for 6 months (and was useless) I highlighted the differences in our workload, and also the pay! (nearly 10 K) and said I had been offered an interview elsewhere at a position paying closer to that rate. i was careful to state that I was not saying I would leave, but that i was aware that I had other options.

This letter ended up going to the MD, who said it was a very mature way to handle the issue - and ended up OKing the payrise

work out for me in the end - and I found with a letter - i was able to put my point across in a concise way, and not get flustered talking about money !

legendmir

that sounds like an excellent idea, how did you deliver the letter? just leave it on their desk?

thanks

joka2

I was also in a similar situation. Very small company, small IT team.
Everybody underpaid by at least 10-15k.
The bosses were happy to get away with underpaying people, they really don't value IT despite their reliance on it.
Once people started handing in their notices they suddenly became able to offer double or triple the previous salary to keep them.

In my opinion, if reasoned negotiations with your boss don't work and they won't pay more then there is only one option.
Find a new company who do value your skills.

redsclubbedup

i gave it to my manager - who is a great guy, he has since told me that he thought it was my notice - so shook him a bit !

he read it, and then took it to the md - i was called in to discuss it

told not to attend any interviews and then it would be sorted

which was great - still think I am being underpaid by 3-5K compared to rest of the department - but at least it is closer to a fair wage for what i do

legendmir

i managed to get a job elsewhere, for 25k, w00p!

thanks for the replies to my post

Bamber19

Nice one, accepted? This is now the first point where you'd definitely be in the position of power to negotiate a rise in your current post as you now have a clear option.

legendmir

ive never quit a job before... not rly sure what to expect

but yeah they would have to at least equal the 25 and tbh this whole situation has caused me to lose a lot of good will so dont think i would stay for 25

ive verbally accepted, havnt had any paper work through yet

Fluffi

Hammyman wrote: »

As an employer, if there's Bob who can do the job to the point of being quite invaluable as an employee and is happy to work for minimum wage, I'll pay him minimum wage. If he comes to me and asks for a bit more and I say "as much as I'd like to Bob, I can't really afford to at the moment what with the economy and the like -you know how it is" and he says "OK Jeff, just thought I'd ask" then he'd continue working for NMW.

However if he came to me and said "I'd like a wage rise. As you know I do X,Y and Z for you and you'd be stuffed if I left. Company X and Y offer £x so I don't think I'm being unreasonable" then I've less chance to refuse him. And if he really is that good then when the comments of resignation become more serious the money would be found.

getmore4less wrote: »

A smart employee would then telll you to cough up for the last X years if they want to stay or just say F.O. I'm leaving.

Basic rule for employer and employees never bluff on pay.

Hammyman is spot on - employers can bluff on pay if they know their employee doesn't know their own value and market rates. Easiest way to find this is to offer a sub-standard pay rise, if they put up with it and don't argue that they have x,y,z skills and employers A, B and C are all willing to pay more then the employer has got away with it a saved money!

More difficult for employees to bluff on pay - the boss will just turn round and ask for the proof (e.g. job ads).

No employee should EVER assume they are going to be paid a fair market rate. Employers almost always want to save money on everyone's wages but their own! Always keep an eye on job boards or subscribe to some weekly email job searches to keep up to date what skills are in demand and going market rates for your own skills. Then you will be fully prepared at pay review time to negotiate and argue with confidence and real examples if you are dissatisfied with your pay offer.

Although to truly negotiate you have to be prepared to leave current your job for another too. Again if an employer thinks you can't move (too difficult to commute elsewhere/childcare issues etc) or like your current position that you won't move then this really damages your bargaining position. Make sure your boss knows you care about your job and would like to stay for the long term, but only for as long as the arrangement works for both of you.

katerinasol

SarEl wrote: »

Accidentally leave your CV (after checking it does not contain any embellishments you wouldn't want your employer to know about) and ringed job adverts on your desk, inadvertantly not adequately covered by the paper you were "attempting" to hide it under.... or accidentally leave the folder containing these documents on your managers desk, and forget to collect them until he looks inside to see what is in the folder....

In other words, the less you say about it, the more it will look like you are ready for the off....You have raised it and it hasn't worked, so stop raising it, and run the flags out instead and they may reconsider their position regarding how much you mean you want a rise!

That's the stupidest thing I have ever heard. Or maybe they will just think "why the hell should we give him a pay rise if he's about to leave anyway".