Asking for a raise

[footballmouse]

Myself and 2 coworkers have a meeting scheduled for Monday with our supervisor, director of the department and her boss. We will be presenting why we feel we deserve a raise. I think we have everything together. We have an outline of what will be discussed, a list of different specialties that we serve (we work in a hospital), and various duties that we are responsible for. Each one of us will be taking a section to present.

This all came about after we learned that all the new hires (which have been a lot) are making the same amount as those of us who have been there for 5+ years. The new hires are coming in with very little or no experience working in a hospital, no medical terminology and for some of them, it's their first job. We've already had 3 of them not make it past the 90 day probation period. We have a very stressful and fast paced job, it's not for everyone.

Anyone have any tips they want to offer?

 

[Angeejoe]

Myself and 2 coworkers have a meeting scheduled for Monday with our supervisor, director of the department and her boss. We will be presenting why we feel we deserve a raise. I think we have everything together. We have an outline of what will be discussed, a list of different specialties that we serve (we work in a hospital), and various duties that we are responsible for. Each one of us will be taking a section to present.

This all came about after we learned that all the new hires (which have been a lot) are making the same amount as those of us who have been there for 5+ years. The new hires are coming in with very little or no experience working in a hospital, no medical terminology and for some of them, it's their first job. We've already had 3 of them not make it past the 90 day probation period. We have a very stressful and fast paced job, it's not for everyone.

Anyone have any tips they want to offer?

Gets comps in your area/region at competing hospitals on their wages.

 

[footballmouse]

Not sure how to do that without asking people what they make. I did talk to some of the area hospitals a few months ago just to ask them what their duties were. There really isn't another hospital around that does both jobs like we do. And if they do, they are a smaller hospital who doesn't have near the volume we do. Any suggestions on how to find the comps?

 

[Christine]

First off, how have you learned what the new hires make?

Be *very* careful going into a meeting to request a raise based on how much other people make. This happened at my company and the person who did that was forever frowned on by management.

Now, if you learned of the wage disparity through management or through "public" pay charts released by your company, that is quite another matter. You can go in an argue that you should not be paid what entry level workers are paid.

If you found out on the sly, I suggest that you still have the meeting but NEVER bring the new hires' pay into the equation. Just talk about experience. Talk about how much time you are devoting to training the new hires, how long it takes to get to your experience level, etc.

 

[sam_gordon]

Is it wise for three people to go into the same meeting to ask for a raise? Shouldn't that be done one on one? What if the third person isn't as strong a worker as the first two (in the eyes of management which is what matters)?

And you're uncomfortable about asking folks in other hospitals how much they make but you know how much your new hires make? Can you explain that? If you didn't know what the new hires made would you be asking for this meeting? Does your list of your responsibilities include only what you were hired for? Have they added more responsibilities since hiring you that would justify a bump in pay? Have you learned new skills on your own that you're using in your job that would justify a bump in pay? Have you helped teach the new hires (actually taken them under your wing)?

If I'm the manager, I want to see initiative (learning new tasks on your own), willingness to learn new skills (not griping when assigned something new), and a willingness to help others do their job (be a team player) in order to consider a raise outside of the normal schedule. What I don't want to see is "Mary makes more money than me and I've been here longer so I deserve a raise."

 

[Christine]

Is it wise for three people to go into the same meeting to ask for a raise? Shouldn't that be done one on one? What if the third person isn't as strong a worker as the first two (in the eyes of management which is what matters)?

And you're uncomfortable about asking folks in other hospitals how much they make but you know how much your new hires make? Can you explain that? If you didn't know what the new hires made would you be asking for this meeting? Does your list of your responsibilities include only what you were hired for? Have they added more responsibilities since hiring you that would justify a bump in pay? Have you learned new skills on your own that you're using in your job that would justify a bump in pay? Have you helped teach the new hires (actually taken them under your wing)?

If I'm the manager, I want to see initiative (learning new tasks on your own), willingness to learn new skills (not griping when assigned something new), and a willingness to help others do their job (be a team player) in order to consider a raise outside of the normal schedule. What I don't want to see is "Mary makes more money than me and I've been here longer so I deserve a raise."

Excellent points which is why I think the OP needs to be VERY careful with this.

If your job has not changed at all but you've just been doing it longer, this may really backfire on you. It could be that management has decided that they needed to bump the incoming pay of entry level works just to attract them in the first place. After a certain period of training, the new hires should be "up to your level" and their work would be commensurate with yours.

It really does depend on the type of work you do and how long it takes a person in your position to get to the "subject matter expert" level. Does that take 3 months? 6 months, 3 years?

This is a real trap for people who get into a standardized job level and they stay there a long time. Some times you just have to move on to get the better pay. What you do, even for 5 years in, may only have a certain value in the job market.

 

[sunshine1178]

Not sure how to do that without asking people what they make. I did talk to some of the area hospitals a few months ago just to ask them what their duties were. There really isn't another hospital around that does both jobs like we do. And if they do, they are a smaller hospital who doesn't have near the volume we do. Any suggestions on how to find the comps?

Glassdoor.com will help you. And you might be able to verify what they are paying new hires there, also. Otherwise, search old job postings to see if they listed a pay range.

Good luck to you. I also have new hires making close to what I do, and it is frustrating!

 

[Allison]

Well, the first thing is, I would not be going in as a group. You need to base your request on the work you are doing and your abilities, not other people with you. Second, are you supposed to know what the new people are making? Make sure that doesn't backfire on you.

 

[Lilacs4Me]

The first thing I would do is cancel the meeting. This sounds like a "safety in numbers" thing to me, which is not very professional.

Not only do you plan on walking into a meeting with a group of other co-workers, but you also plan on basing this request on the fact that you are not happy about the $$ amount other coworkers are making?

Consider this question:

Don't you think that your manager and director already *know* how much money every employee makes, and are fine with it???!!

Please, at the very least, tell me that you have sent an agenda out to all meeting participants so that they are aware of what this meeting is about and can be prepared for it. Anything less (for a group meeting) is just extremely unprofessional.

Once you have considered all the issues and perspectives, and have done all of your research and STILL feel asking for a raise is warranted, schedule a meeting with your immediate supervisor one-on-one. Depending on the ourcome of that meeting, you can follow up with your HR manager either together or alone.

But DO NOT go with your plan A if you ever want to be taken seriously by your employer!

JMO

 

[KLAIT]

I have to agree with several above posters. Do not do this as a group. One on one is the way to handle issues like this. Second, if wages are not posted or known, there is a certain amount of confidentiality expected by the employer that people will not share wage info. If the group know each other's wages as well as new hire wage, it is not professional.

 

[DebbieB]

I work in a large company and discussing salary or bonus amounts with other employees can be grounds for termination.

 

[rickybobby]

Sometimes I have found that the way to get raises anymore is to job hop. Loyalty in pay raises for staying at old employers is a thing of the past, sadly.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't know a lot, but I do know that some places you are not supposed to discuss what you make with others. If you try to get a raise based upon what others are making... well you can see where that is going.

We might not know what to do, but we know what NOT to do.

 

[ericstac]

Like everyone else said, Cancel this meeting asap. Reschedule your own meeting to discuss you and only you and do not use the same information or data charts, etc as the next person. You may have some valid points and may get a raise but doing it as a group could result in a group of people in an unemployment line.

But as rickybobby said above me, your best bet these days is to simply job hop. Have you looked around for a better job? You might find a better fit elsewhere or you might find another job and be offered a counter to stay at your current position.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I have to agree that this meeting is not a good idea unless you got the salary information about the new hires from a public source. It's an even worse idea to go in as a group. The 3 of you all have different levels of performance even if you think you are all excellent performers, and you could be hurting your argument if one of the other 2 people has performance issues you don't know about.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I don't see this meeting ending well at all for many of the reasons already mentioned. I think a different approach might be in order.

 

[xlxo]

Love my union.

 

[MSLRAC]

I would cancel the meeting. You don't ask for a raise in a group and you don't ask for one based on what you think or have heard others are making. Those are both side fire ways not to get a raise and would get you fired at most places I've worked.

 

[ronandannette]

First off, how have you learned what the new hires make?

Be *very* careful going into a meeting to request a raise based on how much other people make. This happened at my company and the person who did that was forever frowned on by management.

Now, if you learned of the wage disparity through management or through "public" pay charts released by your company, that is quite another matter. You can go in an argue that you should not be paid what entry level workers are paid.

If you found out on the sly, I suggest that you still have the meeting but NEVER bring the new hires' pay into the equation. Just talk about experience. Talk about how much time you are devoting to training the new hires, how long it takes to get to your experience level, etc.

I work in a large company and discussing salary or bonus amounts with other employees can be grounds for termination.

Yes. And the point at which these employees would be prepared to lie about where they got the information wouldn't fly with me either. In some ways, these could well be my staff members; I've got two different groups who share common job titles and duties - no two of them make exactly the same amount of money. There have also been (relative) new-hires that have started at higher rates than those who started 5 or 6 years ago due to changing market conditions. Everybody is evaluated on their own merits - period.

OP, unless you're unionized, there's no obligation on the part of your company to "collective bargain" with you and your friends. Re-think this. All the PP's that say it won't end well are giving you excellent advice, especially the two above.

 

[smokeyblue]

I've worked at a hospital for 15 years and I make only marginally more than the new hires. We just got our first raise in 6 years. Why do I stay? The health insurance (including vision, prescription, dental not so much) is really good. I could make more elsewhere, but the health insurance would cost more for less. I also get lots of paid time off. I'm up to 24 days off/year at this point and when you have seniority you get first pick of vacation and time off.

My point is, have you considered the financial picture at your facility? Have you considered the other benefits that are part of your job and come with your longevity?