Salary doesn't match Co. growth

[Anonymous]

I work for a company that has grown from 10M to over 30M in 5 years. (Gov. contracts) and each dept. has grown 3 times as well.

We get a lot of praise from management, vendors and clients and as much as I am happy to be a "contributing part of the success of the company", I feel like a 3% yearly raise[i] is an insult.

I want to be praised and recognize but I also want more money in my pocket. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

I don't just want a yearly salary increase but I feel I deserve more like a pay bump. How can approach HR/Management about this? I've been with the company 6 years.

Btw- This year for the first time we got a bonus. Equal to 2 weeks pay. (and yes, that was a nice surprise)

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure how company growth relates to your salary. Are you doing 3x the work?

[Anonymous]

Hmm. Let's play out the inverse. If you got said increase and your company's growth slowed, would you be just as happy to take a pay reduction? Sounds like they are already more in terms of variable compensation (a bonus)...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work for a company that has grown from 10M to over 30M in 5 years. (Gov. contracts) and each dept. has grown 3 times as well.

We get a lot of praise from management, vendors and clients and as much as I am happy to be a "contributing part of the success of the company", I feel like a 3% yearly raise[i] is an insult.

I want to be praised and recognize but I also want more money in my pocket. Am I wrong for feeling this way?

I don't just want a yearly salary increase but I feel I deserve more like a pay bump. How can approach HR/Management about this? I've been with the company 6 years.

Btw- This year for the first time we got a bonus. Equal to 2 weeks pay. (and yes, that was a nice surprise)

You are not in the driver’s seat. Take your raise and bonus and get back to work.

[Anonymous]

Make a list of all the things you that are beyond what others do. If you want a higher raise, you need reasoning behind it. And whining that the company makes more money now is not a good reason.

[Anonymous]

You won't unless you leave and get a pay bump at a new company. I double my workload when my growing and successful company turned 2 jobs into one and I took over my boss's job while still doing my job going from 8 hr days to 12 hr days and I got a 20K raise on a 300k+ salary.

[Anonymous]

Someone gives you a raise because they've decided there's a real threat of you leaving, they don't want to lose you, and the cost of paying you more is worth it (both the actual cost and that other people may find out and ask for more money as well).

Start with job searching, even if you don't think you want to leave. This will give you a sense both of how much it would take to replace you and what your options are. The answers to those inform how hard you go in your current org at asking for more money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone gives you a raise because they've decided there's a real threat of you leaving, they don't want to lose you, and the cost of paying you more is worth it (both the actual cost and that other people may find out and ask for more money as well).

Start with job searching, even if you don't think you want to leave. This will give you a sense both of how much it would take to replace you and what your options are. The answers to those inform how hard you go in your current org at asking for more money.

+1 As a manager I only give raises outside of the standard COL or the 10% bump that comes with a promotion for a “flight risk” or counteroffer. Those are just the rules of the company.

[Anonymous]

Unless you have equity or commission pay structure, you’re unlikely to see a direct benefit of this growth. You could certainly parlay your experience into a better paying job elsewhere by explaining how you have experience supporting a company in growth mode.

[Anonymous]

I always thought 3-5% was a standard raise for good performance. Sounds like it's the first year they could afford it. You are also probably not the only one to get a raise so this may be a lot of money for them. It seems reasonable to me.

[Anonymous]

We have a lot of people who left and came back, they make a lot more money than those that stayed. If you want the money you have to take the risk and go.

[Anonymous]

You want a raise not a COLA.

Make a case for it. What have you done to deserve a raise? Taken on more duties? Stepped in to help? Did your job +?

It is hard for a manager to fight for their people to have a raise if they come to them saying someone makes more or the company is making more. That tells them nothing of your worth.

If you don't get a raise are you willing to walk? I have had people who tell me they have a job offer to use it to get a raise. I have told plenty that we can't meet what their offer is and they should accept the other job. Most say oh no they want to stay. Just have an honest conversation because once you pull that you may need to go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a lot of people who left and came back, they make a lot more money than those that stayed. If you want the money you have to take the risk and go.

+1

You have to move to make more money. Or, stay comfortable and keep your nominal raises. That’s the trade off.