New role but with no pay rise

these

Hi all

I was wondering if I could get some other peoples views/thoughts on this please.

I've been with my current employer for 3 years and back in January, I was approached by my managers manager to say that my manager would be leaving soon as she wanted to move on and as a result that would obviously leave that position available. He wanted to know if I would be interested in taking the role as he believed I was the most suitable person within the team to take it up. I said I would think about it (personally management is not something I'd ever really thought about nor wanted to do). After considering it over the weekend, I said I would be interested and it would be a new challenge etc. We then got into discussion about the next steps and also the salary increase that would come as a result.

I was told that I would initially be looking at an increase to my salary of around £5000 with a review of that after a further 6 months and on successfully passing a probation period for that role, at which point it would increase again.

When I was originally approached, I was told that the job would be advertised internally and I'd have to apply etc but then a week later, in order to speed the process up, I was offered the position on a secondment basis and told that this would be until the end of May, at which point it would go permanent. I was told there would be a reward for the secondment basis (although not told what) but they were struggling to get approval through for it. I told them that I was ok with not taking a pay increase for the period of the secondment provided that there was no delay in the position going permanent etc.

Fast forward to today and I get a phone call (we're all now working from home with a few skeleton staff in the office given the COVID situation) and I'm told the position is due to go permanent from the end of this week as planned. Great! However, given the company-wide pay rise freeze, the position wouldn't come with any increase in salary at all, despite what I'd originally been told/promised would happen. This would be reviewed at the end of the year. So, by then, I'll have been doing the position for 11 months for nothing extra.

I completely understand companies being cautious about offering pay rises and bonuses etc (which they announced a few weeks ago) however, to me, this is not a pay rise, this is a new position/new job as a line manager with direct reports. Add to that that we are down 1 member of staff, that adds further work load on top as well. I've been working extra hours throughout this to try and keep on top of the increase in work etc and I just feel after today that I've been screwed over.

Thoughts?

lincroft1710

Ask to revert to your former role? Perhaps not. Just politely ask that you be considered for a wage increase when finances permit

sharpe106

If you want the role then your best option is just to carry on and hope things change, otherwise just ask to revert back to old role. 

lcc86

I'm not an employment expert but surely this wouldn't be a pay rise as you're going in to a new position? As you said, a position has been vacated. Personally I wouldn't do the work of a more senior role for the same money as I currently earn. 

JReacher1

lcc86 said:

I'm not an employment expert but surely this wouldn't be a pay rise as you're going in to a new position? As you said, a position has been vacated. Personally I wouldn't do the work of a more senior role for the same money as I currently earn. 

Problem with refusing to do the role is that they will just give it to someone else. In the next six/seven months the OP will get a significant pay rise so would seem a daft idea to give this opportunity up because of the unusual times we are in. 

these

JReacher1 said:

lcc86 said:

I'm not an employment expert but surely this wouldn't be a pay rise as you're going in to a new position? As you said, a position has been vacated. Personally I wouldn't do the work of a more senior role for the same money as I currently earn. 

Problem with refusing to do the role is that they will just give it to someone else. In the next six/seven months the OP will get a significant pay rise so would seem a daft idea to give this opportunity up because of the unusual times we are in. 

Part of me agrees with this but the reason I’m annoyed is because I have nothing in writing, all of this has been verbal because it’s only been on a secondment basis and I have to sign a new contract for the new position. The review at the end of the year is no guarantee of a payrise so, going by how things have been handled over the last 3 months and the carrot being dangled etc, I feel it could end up just being forgotten about and I’m just expected to carry on as is and that’s why I’m a bit hesitant. 

sharpe106

I would tell them that I was willing to carry on doing the work, but ask for the review in writing and at the time if the decision is no more pay you would like the option to go back to your old job. Then you can decide at the time if they are just playing you along or if there is a real chance of them paying in the not to distant future. 

gwynlas

In previous posts we were expected to act up to the next position without an increase in salary but this was for a fixed term.
In your position as you offerred to carry out the secondment without an increase it amounts to the same thing however you could ask for confirmation that once things inprove you can expect an substantive increase otherwise you would perhaps be earning the same or less than some staff you manage. Mind you in the NHS if you went up a band before reaching the top of the scale this could happen anyway due to overlap.
With the pandemic and possible recession it is up to you whether you are happy to continue as is, ask for return to your substantive role,and risk someone less able being promoted over you or start applying for other posts with your increased experience/

Emmia

This illustrates why you should always follow up verbal assurances with an email to confirm the position.

Personally I wouldn't have offered to take the role on temporarily without a payrise.

JReacher1

these said:

JReacher1 said:

lcc86 said:

I'm not an employment expert but surely this wouldn't be a pay rise as you're going in to a new position? As you said, a position has been vacated. Personally I wouldn't do the work of a more senior role for the same money as I currently earn. 

Problem with refusing to do the role is that they will just give it to someone else. In the next six/seven months the OP will get a significant pay rise so would seem a daft idea to give this opportunity up because of the unusual times we are in. 

Part of me agrees with this but the reason I’m annoyed is because I have nothing in writing, all of this has been verbal because it’s only been on a secondment basis and I have to sign a new contract for the new position. The review at the end of the year is no guarantee of a payrise so, going by how things have been handled over the last 3 months and the carrot being dangled etc, I feel it could end up just being forgotten about and I’m just expected to carry on as is and that’s why I’m a bit hesitant. 

Well just resign then and get a job somewhere else. 

You don’t have to take the job

JReacher1

Emmia said:

This illustrates why you should always follow up verbal assurances with an email to confirm the position.

Personally I wouldn't have offered to take the role on temporarily without a payrise.

It’s quite standard to take an internal promotion on a trial basis with no salary increase.