Employer doesnt do reviews or raisesHello, I just hit my 1-year anniversary working for the strangest company I've ever come across. Actually, I'm surprised it's still in business because it's run in such an unprofessional manner. From talking to people who've been there for a while I've discovered that there are no policies in place for performance reviews and raises. In fact, many hourly folks (like me) haven't had raises for 2, 3, and even 5 years. Their supervisors have never mentioned performance reviews, and the employees have never asked about it. It's odd because everyone does their work but seems to be afraid to cross that line and ask about it. The company definitely has money to give raises. There's a lot of waste going on and money going out for community projects that have no benefit to the company other than getting the bosses good seats at sporting events. Meanwhile, the company claims to be employee-owned, yet the employees have absolutely no say in how it's run. My question is this. Should I "play dumb" to the fact that there are no review policies in place and approach my supervisor as if it's a given that I'll have a review and raises beause of my anniversary? Just say something like, "I know you're busy with all of these projects going on, but the 1st was my one-year anniversary here, so do you think you can spare a few minutes this week for us to sit down and do my review?" I'm sure he'll stammer and try not to set up a time because there are no reviews, review guidelines, forms, etc. Will be lovely to watch him stammer around with all of that chewing tobacco in his mouth. This is a brand new PR position that didn't exist when I started. I've set up my own systems to do everything and my work has resulted in this company being in the news on a steady basis -- way more than they were ever in the news before. A few people have told me that if I approach my boss about a raise, I should be ready to walk out because they won't like it when I speak up. I won't walk out, though. They can fire me if they want. The company is notorious for fighting against unemployment claims, to the point where they brag that they never pay. Truthfully, it's a job with no future and a terrible company. I'm only there for the steady (although pathetically too small) paycheck while my own (unrelated) business gets on its feet so that I can leave. It makes sense to ask for the raise NOW rather than remaining quiet any longer. Anyone else have experience with backwards-acting companies? I don' t know what you think your outcome is going to be here. You' ve been told that they don' t do reviews and raises. You' ve been told that if you ask for one you' ll find yourself job hunting. Is the pleasure of watching the guy stammer with tobacco in his mouth really enough to outweigh the pain of job hunting? If you are only there long enough to get your business off the ground, then focus on that goal and bide your time until you leave. If you really are after a review because you think there' s a future here (which you say there isn' t), then roll the dice. And by the way, raises (annual or otherwise) are not a given in most companies. Raises are usually based on performance, not just time served. Even in a company with full policies and proceedures in place, chances are you' d be looking at a 3% raise (max) IF you hit the top of the review range (4 or 5 out of 5). So, if the steady, albeit pathetic paycheck is important to you, and you' re going to leave within the next year or so anyway, 3% then minus tax may not be worth rolling the dice on. You' ve been told that they don' t do reviews and raises. You' ve been told that if you ask for one you' ll find yourself job hunting. Sorry. Guess I didn' t make myself clear. I' ve been told by other hourly workers that they have never received raises. I haven' t been told by anyone in a position of authority that they don' t give raises. I' ve received raises at every job I' ve worked. The last job did a review at 30 days and a raise, a review and raise at 90 days, and then everyone' s annual review was the first of the year rather than their anniversary date. At that job, I started at 20,000 and by the time my first annual review came along, they had raised me to 25,000. It' s absurd to expect people to continue working at a job for any amount of time without a raise. As for merit, I definitely deserve a merit raise. Like I said, I' ve brought this company more positive publicity than they' ve ever seen before. Look, I' m not saying you don' t deserve a raise and I' m not saying it isn' t absurd. You asked how to deal with this backwards company. The truth is, you can' t. You can' t make them into something they' re not. If they don' t give raises, they don' t give raises. If they don' t give reviews, they don' t give reviews. Is that a poor business practice? Probably, but I' m not the owner and neither are you, so frankly, they don' t care what you and I think about it. So, again, if you' re willing to roll the dice and find out if what your co-workers say is true, go ahead. If you need that paycheck, you might want to think twice since what they say about how it will be received may also be true. I see nothing wrong with asking for your one-year review, as if you are assuming there is one to be had. If that request is received with a reasonable response, and granted, then I would carefully, in writing, list everything you have done, responsibilities you have taken on, how much publicity, and if possible, revenue your efforts have generated, etc. You can certainly make a case for, and ask for, a raise, if you're willing to risk that this backas-swords company may fire you. How stupid is that--firing a person for merely asking the question. I do not think you have to cower in your corner with fear, as the other employees have apparently done. You are a professional, you have every right to act like one. If you lose your job, get a temp one until your business gets off the ground. There is consulting and freelance work to be had in PR. At one level of analysis, it' s probably presumptuous to think that you can have some influence over how well or how poorly this company is run. That is not to suggest, however, that you can' t ask for an individual performance and salary review on you own - without inferring that' s what well run companies are supposed to do. Compile a list of your own accomplishments, goals met, objectives achieved, initiatives taken and anything else you' ve done that will justify an increase in compensation based on your performance. It' s a timely thing to do since you' ve been there one year. But in the broader context, not every company has a formalized performance review system or a standardized raises - particularly smaller companies. Your approach to a performance and salary review, in my view, can be based on what you' ve accomplished, but not on the basis of how "well run" companies do things. That' s not your call. Your company looks like my company, we work togheter?? The same in my company everybody told me we do not get raises never, even one of the menegers told me if i do not like i can go somewere else! When i search more we find out some employees they get raises even after 6 months, and vacation 2 weeks after 6 months, of course ev erybody was upset. So I asked and i end up with more work, and my boss was furios on me for more then 6 months, it was like hell for me in the company, I was thinking why i try, for this reason another people they do not even try. If you do not get raise if you go to another company how you will look, they will ask your raise history? Why did you work with no raise, maybe your are not good, nobody will belive you, and i work in this company for 5 years, I had raise after one year, and on the second year, because i was doing a special project, but right now for 2 years nothing, and i am not high paid! Maybe you can look for a best friend of your boss, somebody who he like and take him to a lunch, and try to ask how you can get a raise, and how important is your work,try not to jump in the water! I am sure it is a way to find out about your raise, you need to search who is the most influent person in the company, and depends how much they need you, you do not have to listen to your coworkers, or be scared, they will see that. Good luck to you and best wishes! | |
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