Asking for a pay rise versus employer automatically giving you a rise.

Samsonite1

agrinnall wrote: »

There is some merit to this approach, but if you take it you have to be prepared to leave if you don't get what you want, otherwise they will know that you're likely to back down again in the future.

Fully agree with this. In my previous job, I had no pay rise at all (so net decrease) for 4 years despite excellent annual reviews and 2 promotions + written commendations from clients! Eventually, in order to get a pay-rise I had to hand my notice in because they just said no if I asked for more money - this worked and I did get a pay rise, but I then just wanted to leave due to this culture. Everyone was just handing in their notice every few months and getting more money, the good people left and we were left with disloyal people just asking for money and threatening to leave all of the time and barely holding the company together.

Thankfully a better job came along where they just give a pay-rise every year without question along with many other benefits. I keep in touch with people from my old company and it has not changed. Most people have left, just a few that have handed in their notice many times and claimed bigger salaries, but sounds like they are going down the pan...

Having seen both types of company, I could never work for a place that does not reward good employees more easily unless it was for the short term because I had to.

pollyanna24

I work for a small company and literally if I didn't ask, I would be on the same wage when I started here in 2004.

I ask every 2 years or so and see what he says. This year, he said no. Every other time he has said yes.

Then I realised my holiday entitle hasn't increased since 2004 either, so I asked for some more. He hasn't turned me down altogether, but it is unfortunate that I don't have a HR department to turn to.

Fireflyaway

Might depend on the sector and how the company is preforming. I'm in charity so pay rises don't often happen. Previously in local government and had a cost of living increase every year. I do know someone who worked in security and had no rise in 11 years. By the time they left they were worse off than ehen they started due to the rise in cost of living.
Have you been there long? Ask the question at your appraisal. They might be wary though that you set a precedence and then everyone asks! If the pay really is below market value start looking elsewhere.