SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

Hello, SI Fam.

It's been a while since I've posted anything. And I haven't found myself visiting the forums much either. In fact, even though I did drop by a couple weeks ago, I still find the new layout quite off-putting.

The title of this post is in regards to this - I haven't had a raise in over 5 years. Today, my boss emailed me to let me know that they are raising my base compensation by 1%. He didn't phrase it like that. Instead, he gave me a figure that my salary was being "adjusted" to, and I did the math myself.

So, what's the bigger slap to the face?

Not getting a raise in forever, or your boss notifying you that after over 17 years with the company and for the first time in over 5 years you're getting a 1% raise.

I know this is just a big pity party. But I can't vent really vent this on my socials because I'm "friends" with my boss on most of them. My team members are practically in the same boat as me. We talk about a mutiny almost every day.

At least he thanked me for my service.

Anyhoo, vent over.

How is your company doing?

Have you tested the job market waters?

My first question is are you in rehab, because I thought we were the only ones in this boat!

Right now, I would honestly be so grateful for just a 1% raise. Isn’t that sad?

It’s been 7 years now since I had a raise and in 2020 we were told in order to keep our jobs they had to take 10% from our salaries. It has not been given back, nor will it.

I honestly think you need to look at the market, like sisoon said. Is it a field wide issue, like with rehab? Or is it your company?

If it’s field wide, be "content" with 1% because they are at least trying to do something. If it’s your company, then yes, a slap in the face perhaps.

Just offering support- you already got good advise.
Employers wonder why people are quitting and changing jobs in droves. Boggles the mind.

Is it a field wide issue, like with rehab? Or is it your company?

It definitely is a company issue, I believe. The office manager (who's married to my boss) has mismanaged the financial affairs over the past few years.

Plus, the climate throughout the office has become completely toxic, with everyone walking on eggshells, waiting on who will be targeted with another outburst from our boss. She's turned into a malignant narcissist over the last few years. Everyone complains about how broken our workflows are yet no one is willing to change how they work in order to make things better.

A lot of us are on the same page. Ready to jump ship when the other shoe drops.

I'm trying to break into a new career path at the moment. But no takers yet. I recently got into an auto accident which has only cemented to desire to have a telecommute job. The daily commute is quite literally almost killing me.

I could go on forever about what's broken. Yet I show up for work every day. So I'm pretty much choosing my misery at this point.

If the company isn't making money, they can't increase salaries, so maybe it's not any sort of slap in the face.

But it'll be easier to leave before the other shoe drops. In fact, my reco is to leave before the other shoe drops.

If I were still in the workforce, I'd be looking at how my company was doing, and I'd be looking at other companies if mine were doing well but not sharing the wealth with its employees, especially in this job market.

I'm a public sector worker.

I went through about an 8 year period of furloughs/no raises.

Year 9, I got a $500 a year raise and the sound bite is that my employer was "investing" in me. That wasn't even 1%.

When we were furloughed in 2008ish, furloughs were announced on public sector worker appreciation day.

It could be worse. You could be called lazy and a drain on taxpayers ONLY because you are public sector worker. You could be treated like it's a privilege that you get a paycheck from the taxpayers for your work. I guess we're either not supposed to have public sector workers, or public sector workers are supposed to work for free.

(Never mind the fact that I'm also a taxpayer.)

I've been at my job for a few decades. By year 5, it was quite evident that salary had nothing to do with compensation for my work output. Quite literally political and voter sentiment have more of an effect on my salary than the work I do.

You are being sent a message. It could be the company is not doing well and cannot afford an increase in your compensation or it could be as you are taking it, that they do not respect your contributions. Now the question is what are you going to do about it? Just like your joy is your responsibility, your career is also your responsibility. I completely get that it's not easy to change jobs, but it is far better to do that before you become bitter! It's also interesting that they can never find the money when they think you will not leave, though they almost always find it when you are walking out the door. Don't fall for that disrespect.

My oldest was caught in an industry wide compensation issue. This is what she got her degree for, but she completely switched careers where her base is higher, she has less stress dealing with the clientele and she gets regular bonuses.

I have dealt with this at various points in my career as well and finding new employment was always the solution after having a real heart to heart did not resolve the issue in a reasonable amount of time. I will say I work in a field where it is usually relatively easy to find a new job with at least a minor if not significant increase in compensation so you need to understand what is possible for you.

ETA: I hope this is obvious, but to be clear a heart to heart is not; give me a raise or I'm leaving. It's making sure you are aligned with the company priorities and that there is not something your boss expects you to be doing that you are not or that your boss is missing something you are doing that is critical to the company success. Of course disparity in compensation relative to peer companies and how that impacts morale should also be part of the discussion. Though in your current situation it certainly sounds like just moving on could be the better choice.

[This message edited by HeartFullOfHoles at 5:23 PM, Saturday, February 26th]

I worked for a company for 13 years.

Kept getting pay cuts while the owner bought new cars and took lavish vacations while owing me $59,000 in back pay. I waited years to get my $.

I finally was paid in full interest free.

I was then fired. For no reason except he knew I sided with a former employee over her wrongful termination and gender discrimination and RS IDL harassment she endured at the same company.

The employee sued. I refused to get involved with the business owner on this matter.

I got fired.