Yearly reviews & increases - what's "average"?

[ZPT1022]

Oh man, can I relate! Except DH's company is even cheaper, he generally gets 2% and his raise hasn't exceeded the increase in health insurance premiums in 6 or 7 years, yes YEARS. They give out raises in July and the insurance increases in January, guess they think we're too dumb to notice that with inflation we're making less then we did years ago. I hate his company with a passion, fortunately we have a plan to become our own bosses in 5 or 6 years.

Well, I am sorry to hear that it is that way more places than just DH's work. Our benefits are able to be adjusted in October- pick new plans, change things, etc..... and DH will get his review and raise in February. I think he gets reveiwed twice a year but only one is a monetary review. Sadly he gets a pretty high raise compared to others he works with, but he works really hard too. For a while he was doing his job plus the job that is now occupied by his direct superior. The sick thing is, DH works for Home Depot, he's a receiving manager, and the other job he was doing was night operations manager in addition to his job. Anyhoo, we read an article in the paper about how HD was now offering insurance to contractors and stuff who just shop there. The really sick part- they were paying less than what we do. Ugh. He's been there seven years but lately we're thinking it's time for a change.

 

[lesroi]

Oh for the good old days. I started my first professional job (after college) in March 1982 In January 1983 my supervisor apoligized to me because the raise he gave me was only 10% becasue two months before I got there the raises that year had been 15%, which had been the norm. As far as bonus goes I will never see any like I got when I was trading. Some of those were as much as your annual salary and I worked with one Nymex Trader who got a million dollar bonus two years in a row.

I know what you mean about bonuses... I worked for a major homebuilder during 2005 and I was responsible for paying out the bonuses. When I say I paid out SEVERAL MILLION dollars in bonuses, I am not exaggerating. Most of our top people got hundreds of thousands. I am talking about a Division, not a Regional office, with less than 80 employees. You can bet those days are over for that particular homebuilder. Too bad most of these men went out and bought new toys with that money rather than paying off their mortgages and saving it!
The kicker was not being able to roll that money into any other year. It had to be paid out immediately. It's too bad because I bet no one is getting a $200k+ bonus this year.

Tracy

 

[Robmom]

The average where I work is 2%. I actually got a 5.5% on my last one. Whoo Hoo! It is very hard to get that high of a percentage here.

 

[janica]

My dh was a manager in charge of reviews and raises for everyone in his group. He was ordered by his supervisors to not give anyone an excellent rating on their review. Everyone, they say, has room for improvement. If he didn't do as instructed, it would be kicked back for him to redo.
This year, he was told to give everyone a failed rating on something on their review. This, they say, will make people work harder. Again, it would be kicked back to him to redo if he didn't. This was something he really felt that he could not do. Fortunately, he won't have to because he quit the job and went to work elsewhere. As far as raises go, he was not allowed to give anyone more than 3% regardless of how much they might deserve it. I mention all of this just to say that before you start thinking that your boss is a mean ***, you need to realize that he/she may only be obeying orders from above. btw: This was a MAJOR corporation.

 

[DisneyGal358]

Anybody in the same boat as me? I work for a franchise just getting off the ground (going into the 5th year). I'm going into my review soon and I've been on board for a year now. I think I've been a great help to the company but I know that money isn't flowing as well as hoped yet (although it is better than this time last year). My problem is I really need the money but I really love my job. How do you go into a review and fight for yourself and what you're worth? I don't want to walk away - I'd never suggest that. Any advice?

 

[ducklite]

I know what you mean about bonuses... I worked for a major homebuilder during 2005 and I was responsible for paying out the bonuses. When I say I paid out SEVERAL MILLION dollars in bonuses, I am not exaggerating. Most of our top people got hundreds of thousands. I am talking about a Division, not a Regional office, with less than 80 employees. You can bet those days are over for that particular homebuilder. Too bad most of these men went out and bought new toys with that money rather than paying off their mortgages and saving it!
The kicker was not being able to roll that money into any other year. It had to be paid out immediately. It's too bad because I bet no one is getting a $200k+ bonus this year.

Tracy

That would be a sweet bonus! My DH gets five figure bonuses, but mostly because he's close to capped out on his pay band and it's the only way they can compensate him without bumping him to an executive position--unfortunately the "unwritten rule" is that you have to be with the company for 15 years before this happens, and he's only been there for 10 at this point. I kind of like getting the lump sum once a year rather than the extra in every check. We usually use it towards a big purchase or project--next bonus will go into some landscaping and gutters, and everything left over will pay down my car loan--the only debt we have except our mortgage, and I'd rather pay that off first, as the mortgage interest is deductible.

Anne

 

[MoniqueU]

My husband works straight commission. So the only way he gets a raise is to work harder and produce more or to get a promotiom. No one in his company gets raises per say, you just do a better job and your paychecks will automatically reflect that. I like that system though it is not for everyone. Slackers don't make it long at my husbands work which is another benefit of commission only.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

We get 2.5% step raise plus a Cost Of Living Adjustment. Between the two it's at least 5% for just showing up and not getting an unsatisfactory review. We can earn additional raises as well if our job duties expand and for other reasons.

Starting in April, 75% of our dependent medical insurance will be covered instead of the 50% it is now. Employees are covered 100%. Dental stinks though.

 

[ntsammy5]

3% is the average at my company

I really hate our review system 5 the highest rating is basiclly impossible to get. My boss tried to give me one for teamwork and HR knocked it down with no real reason. I just dont get why they have it if you cant get it. to get our % raise they have an equation using a base and your overall rating.

Boy, does this sound familiar!