Was I out of order to ask for a pay rise?

FtbEmz

I’ll write this as succinct as I can…

Worked for large organisation majority of my life where I’ve been used to annual appraisals and annual pay rises.

Took voluntary redundancy a good few years. Sad to leave but other job option wasn’t suitable in terms of hours and location.

Been in current job for around two and a half years. Was advised after 6 months and passing probation, wage would be reviewed. This never happened. 

I asked my boss on my two year anniversary if my salary could be reviewed and she asked the practise manager who replied with ‘oh’. They’ve obviously spoke about it without me being there but I heard nothing so asked again today and overheard an ‘inflationary raise’ but no performance related raise which to be honest has shocked me as I have gone above and beyond in my role, especially during COVID where I was regular working more hours and taking on extra responsibility so naturally feeling quite undervalued and disappointed.

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

Thrugelmir

No harm in asking. I assume there are other employees. Whatever decision is made it has to be affordable for the organisation as a whole. Sometimes it's good just to have a job that pays a regular salary. 

Sandtree

Not automatically but you have to take the context of the whole situation in... if they've been putting out profit warnings, half your colleagues have just been told they at risk of redundancy etc then it would be a bad time to ask but assuming the company is doing well etc then there is little harm.

Marcon

FtbEmz said:

I asked my boss on my two year anniversary if my salary could be reviewed and she asked the practise manager who replied with ‘oh’. 

'Oh' isn't an answer. 

FtbEmz said:

They’ve obviously spoke about it without me being there but I heard nothing so asked again today and overheard an ‘inflationary raise’ but no performance related raise which to be honest has shocked me as I have gone above and beyond in my role, especially during COVID where I was regular working more hours and taking on extra responsibility so naturally feeling quite undervalued and disappointed.

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

What do you mean by 'overheard'? Surely they weren't having an impromptu discussion within your hearing (and possibly that of other staff)? 

It's quite reasonable to want to know where you stand, so ask again when they will be able to give you some sort of conclusive answer.

oh_really

I asked my manager for a payrise, he had a heart attack (seriously). I was slightly hesitant to raise the issue afterwards.

hyubh

FtbEmz said:

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

You can bargain for a raise, the company can bargain for the status quo. I wouldn't take a negative answer personally. If the company has been badly hit by the pandemic (as another poster has suggested, without evidence), then that would only suggest hard bargaining on your side would be inopportune. In either case, morality doesn't come into it.

TELLIT01

There was certainly nothing wrong in asking the question, and it deserves a proper answer.  'Oh', is not an answer.

74jax

I've always worked in the corporate world with annual appraisals and salary discussions so I completely understand.

I once did ask for a rise outside of this period when I honestly considered I was worth more. I had a full case - comparison salaries, evidence of work and outputs, accounts of value I'd brought etc. It was a very good meeting but I was told no. I felt I couldn't have put my case forward any better so felt happy i had done all I could.

I then applied for a role elsewhere in the company and got it. My then current manager's manager (MD) matched my new salary (which was OVER what was presented in my case only 2 weeks earlier and told I couldn't have  🤪)

I'd maybe ask to speak to the person who actually decides salary (if that's not your manager). Explain you've been told no, and put your case forward and ask to be considered again? 

wilfred30

FtbEmz said:

Been in current job for around two and a half years. Was advised after 6 months and passing probation, wage would be reviewed. This never happened. 

I asked my boss on my two year anniversary if my salary could be reviewed and she asked the practise manager who replied with ‘oh’. They’ve obviously spoke about it without me being there but I heard nothing so asked again today and overheard an ‘inflationary raise’ but no performance related raise which to be honest has shocked me as I have gone above and beyond in my role, especially during COVID where I was regular working more hours and taking on extra responsibility so naturally feeling quite undervalued and disappointed.

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

I don't think you were wrong to ask for a pay rise.  However, having a salary review does not automatically lead to a pay rise.

You mention a practice manager so I'm wondering if you work in a doctor's surgery?

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people have gone 'above and beyond' in the last 18 months due to Covid so you are not alone in that.

As NHS staff have only been offered a 1% pay rise, would you be happy with that?

[Deleted User]

FtbEmz said:

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

No.  If you don't ask, you would not know.

Have you looked at your type of role for seeing where else pays as the going rate, is there much difference?

Recently there was a brand 2 helpdesk job appear for the NHS working shifts, that pay's £18,000 bottom of brand which is on point for round my way as considered really normal pay.

FtbEmz

wilfred30 said:

FtbEmz said:

Been in current job for around two and a half years. Was advised after 6 months and passing probation, wage would be reviewed. This never happened. 

I asked my boss on my two year anniversary if my salary could be reviewed and she asked the practise manager who replied with ‘oh’. They’ve obviously spoke about it without me being there but I heard nothing so asked again today and overheard an ‘inflationary raise’ but no performance related raise which to be honest has shocked me as I have gone above and beyond in my role, especially during COVID where I was regular working more hours and taking on extra responsibility so naturally feeling quite undervalued and disappointed.

Was I wrong to ask for a pay rise?

I don't think you were wrong to ask for a pay rise.  However, having a salary review does not automatically lead to a pay rise.

You mention a practice manager so I'm wondering if you work in a doctor's surgery?

Hundreds, if not thousands, of people have gone 'above and beyond' in the last 18 months due to Covid so you are not alone in that.

As NHS staff have only been offered a 1% pay rise, would you be happy with that?

No it's not a doctor surgery or anything NHS related