what would you do when you find out that all your co-workers make more $$$ than you?

Question

I have been in this company for over 5 year, and my title is reliability engineering technician. Although I have been doing engineering work, I still earn a technician wage. Yesterday, I found a document in the printer from my boss with all wages from our department and I found out that not only I do more work, but I also get pay less from the entire department (even people who was hired after me). I'm the youngest in the department, however I earned my BS degree last year and I also have 10 years of technical experience. I felt so frustrated that I just cried all morning. how can I approach my boss about this situation? what would you do in this situation?

Answer 1

I don't pay my employees the same. It is all up to them how much I pay them. It sounds like you sold yourself short. But the key is, YOU sold yourself. You really have no right to cry about it.

You best bet is to ask for an evaulation and ask for a salery to match the results of that. Otherwise, start sending out your resume and ask for what you think you are worth.

Answer 2

The very first thing I would like to say to you is "do not" approach your boss and tell him you know the salary compensation of fellow employees. There are a lot of reasons you may not be making as much as fellow employees....Just a couple might be:
1. Your personality may be such that your boss passes you over for a wage increase..this may not seem fair, but it happens. If you are providing the company a good service and your boss knows it..he may not approach you for a wage increase..he will get as much work for as little pay as he can.
2. Did you just take it upon yourself to do engineering or did your boss ask you to do this?
3. Are you a team worker...be sure that whatever you are doing it is best for the company..not best for you.

My suggestion would be to look at what you do and how well you perform. Be honest when you do this. Ask your boss if you could meet with him. At the meeting focus on yourself. Tell him why you need to make a higher wage and have a figure in mind and respectfully let your boss know the amount of compensation you think you are worth. Do not compare yourself with other employees in your department. Keep the focus on you only.

If you are a qualified worker and you do the work well and as you said...you do more work than your fellow employees...your boss will give you a raise. An important question I have to ask you is 'why did you choose to look at this printout and are you being truthful when you say it was just there'? It indeed would be am unusual event for that to happen. I am not saying you did, but if you made it a point to search out this information, you are not the person for the company and that right there is why you make less. If you are not honest in one area, I automatically know you are not in other areas. Good Luck

Answer 3

Blizzz, I know this is frustrating. Before anything, but sometimes (most of the time), wages are not based on seniority, but on what everyone does and accomplishments. You have to be open and see if your coworkers makes the same work than you, or if each has different responsabilities and activities.

If you go with your boss, make a list, at least mentally, of all the goals you have exceeded in the past, specially the last 12 months. I don't think just telling him that youre the lowest paid employee would bring you a raise, you would need to make a case to him and give him solid reasons why he should give you a raise.

Answer 4

First of all before you found that little piece of paper were you happy working there and for the amount of pay you were getting.

If yes then use the new information you inadvertently received to look at what you can do to take the next promotion or project that will put you above the rest.

If you were not happy with your pay or workplace then time to consider a move to a better workplace within or outside of the company.

Remember you are always more employable when you are currently working. Companies are lways trying to hire away great talent from other companies.

No one likes to job hunt and we do so little of it we are always rusty so polish up that resume and start looking.

What ever you do don't take the new found information as a bad thing and don't hold other people's salary against them that would be detrimental to you.

Stay positive and be proactive


Good Luck!!!

Answer 5

Ugh - sticky problem!

Sorry for the slow response – I lost everything from hitting the wrong button & had to retype it all!

So, you have every right to be upset. But you need to think about what you are going to do about it. I agree with the first person, you should make a list (I recommend making a written list – when you talk to your boss, you are likely to be upset and forget things or not present them well.) And I’d think about a lot of things this weekend – and make an appointment to speak with your boss next week. (Yes, tell him/her on Monday that you want to meet with them for ½ hour in their office sometime in the week. Don’t get into it out where the rest of the team is – that’s bad form. Send an e-mail request for a meeting if that will work better, but keep it brief.)

Your skill, experience, training, and performance should be what determines your wages – NOT how young you are! You mention that you work more than the others – I don’t know what type of work you do, so don’t be offended by it, is the work you do as difficult as the other people in your group? Do you need to take on more challenging work? Do you need to get onto more high profile projects? (For instance, I can type a lot and quickly, but if I took a position as a typist, I’d expect a pay cut. My job has a lot more challenges and responsibility than that.)

As far as people who have been hired after you making more, you may be suffering from “pay compression” If the market for people with your skills is tight, companies have to offer more money to lure in new people. Find out – either talk to placement agencies or other people in your field (not at your work!) who can tell you what wages look like.

Also, you earned your Bachelors – congrats! Did your company give you a raise? I’d point that out if they didn’t when you meet with your manager.

When you do meet with your boss, try not to become too upset. Explain what you found and lay out your reasons as to why you feel like you aren’t being fairly compensated. Don’t be hostile, but do be direct and ASK for a fair raise. But, don’t expect your boss to be able to give it to you right away. They may need to speak to their boss or HR or both. There may be raise increase limits that they have to justify – or times (if they normally only review people once a year, etc.)

If, after you’ve spoken to your manager, they aren’t willing or able to give you what seems like a fair increase – you’ll need to decide. If there are good reasons to stay (benefits, etc.) you need to consider them. If, after you’ve looked around, you can be better compensated somewhere else – it may be time to change companies.

Best of luck in whatever you do!!

Answer 6

You have to talk to your boss. Of course you don't have to mention the document that you found, only talk about your concern about your salary (not the amount of work that you do) or any comparison with your co-workers. Of course, you have to explore the jobs situation in your area before you make that decision. Also if you are working for a company that you like, after talking with your boss you will have a better understanding of your future with that company...GOOD LUCK

Answer 7

Im sorry your habing problems with your company but something to think about is even tho you went to school and you were there for a while, people know get paid of of experience in the field like you could of went to school and know everything but someone that went to school of 10 years and have only one year in the field will get hired after the person that has 5 years in school and 5 years in field because of the experience.....I hope that helped but if you feel like its really unfair because it is.......approach your H.R. and ask them for a reason and bring them proof on what your workin there brought to the company......

Answer 8

omg i feel so bad for you. you a good one cause i owulda lost me damn job 4 bein so pissed... woulda went the hell off... but even though you thave your BS, i think it has a lot to do wiht oyur age. but i do think you shoul sit down & talk to the hirinf manager or your supervisor about that. cause that's not right. it may also depend on what you asked for when you applied. && they're experience. alot of time when people switch jobs, they expect to get paid a little bit more than the pervious job, other wise what is the purpsose, so it may have to do with what these people were making at their previous jobs. if your company really wanted them, they'd be willing to pay them $$$$ to get their attention