Work compensation --how would you handle this?

[748rpilot]

I work in a sub-specialty of tech in a senior management position, with both managerial and engineering responsibilities. It's my first management role and I've been with the company a bit over two years. For later consideration, our niche industry pays better than usual and a significant portion of my total compensation is the performance bonus. We just had our yearly reviews and while I did get a small increase in base salary (basically COL) and an increase over last years bonus (about 5%), I feel like it fell short of the mark (and I'll explain why).

Last year, one of my direct reports was extremely problematic to the point where I had several conversations with my boss (the CTO) and the firm managing partners on how to proceed and handle the situation. It came to a head a bit before review time and it was decided this employee would be let go at the end of the month. Since this employee had been there for some years, the managing partners decided to give additional salary increases to my reports, on top of their performance review increases, in order to keep them happy and entice them to stay.

Well, another team member left for a bigger position at a bigger firm just a few days later. My boss and the managing partners again gave the remaining team members another increase to keep them happy and in hopes they wouldn't bail.

My boss, the CTO, called me into his office and basically explained we needed to keep the remaining guys happy because they'd been there for awhile, were good employees, I was new, and they had knowledge I would need. He also explained that I didn't receive an increase because as senior management my comp is more bonus driven, and he told me explicitly I'd be taken care of on the next bonus.

Well, about two weeks later my boss died, at his desk. Now I'm down 2 guys on my team, and my boss, who had been there 10+ years. My guys were given YET ANOTHER increase, and again, I was not.

Over the next year, I interviewed dozens of candidates to fill my two spots, found them and trained them. I worked with the new CTO to get him up to speed with what he needed to know and helped him understand the intricacies of my side of what we do. During this whole time, I kept multiple major projects on track, finished them, planned and execute a couple more, and overall just made a significant amount of engineering and management progress. I took over, unfucked, planned and executed a project they had stalled on for almost 2 years because the previous staff couldn't get it over the hump and it was dead in the water.

So now, at review time, I was well expecting to be handsomely rewarded for my accomplishments under extraordinary circumstances and I honestly do not feel like I was. As I mentioned, my base only increased about 3.8% and my bonus about 5%. My 3.8% increase, in real terms, is less than what my most junior guy got as a "please don't leave us" increase.

I'm seriously considering going back and asking that my compensation be reviewed with consideration for the circumstances in which my accomplishments were made, and also noting that my team were given raises to stay and I was to be "taken care of" at bonus time.

Am I out of line here? What would you do in this situation?

ETA: While I was conducting review for one of my reports, I said that I really appreciated how he stuck with me through the two guys leaving and CTO passing. My boss (new CTO) even made a comment to the effect of that that was a good point, and he had not considered that. So that again leads me to believe that my unique situation was not fully considered when my compensation was adjusted.

 

[918v]

If you did all that and you’re not in your old boss’s spot at this point the company doesn’t value your services.

 

[mrdrar]

Take the hint and leave. Don't threaten to leave if they don't give you what you want, just leave.

 

[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot]

Well, about two weeks later my boss died, at his desk.

there's your sign

 

[SanPatHogger]

Tell them everything you just told us. Then ask for the money. Hopefully they're just disconnected somehow and don't realize how important you are.
If you get your money sweet. If not, maybe find someplace else to go. Seems everyone else got money thrown at them not to leave. why shuld you be different.
The automotive industry is similar. Most of the times I have gotten a pay increase is because others left and everyone else got a raise, or I found another job that payed more and said "give me what I am worth or I will go down the street and get it".
Good luck. Hope you get what you are worth.

 

[lonegunman762x51]

When I was in the Air Guard they refused to promote me. My asshole commander said," If you think you can do better someplace else then go." Next drill weekend I handed him a 2096 for transfer to a different unit.

Worked civilian job for over 20 years. Got a new boss who was a straight up alkie. Took an interview elsewhere and got a 100% pay raise and a new job the following month.

Don't say it, do it and get on with your life.

 

[91Eunozs]

Good advice above, so I won’t repeat it but will add that many times the actual payout decisions aren’t made by your boss, their boss, or even the head MFWIC at your site. Most promotions and EOY review/pay decisions are made at the Regional level or above for larger corporations with multiple sites. Your local leadership and HR team will have a lot of input, but almost no say in the final decision.

Your situation could be a result of something as simple as you already being at the top of your pay band for your role, or there may be an effort to cut headcount for people in your role and level, and they’re simply removing incentives to encourage folks to leave voluntarily.

Or they simply screwed up! LoL… Certainly a possibility. Sounds like there was a lot of chaos in your department when your boss passed away, and if the dead dude wasn’t there to fight for you and your team at the regional-level, or hell, even the inter-department level rack and stack, you and your team likely lost out on some of whatever was on the table for raises and bonuses. It ain’t nice, or “fair”, but it’s dog eat dog out there man, and Managers from other departments are gonna fight for their people first. Even knowing that going in, his boss may have been swayed by someone else going to the mat for their team and you and your team got the short end of the stick.

Regardless of what happened, it’s worth a discussion with your site lead and top HR manager… be respectful, and lay it out like you did above.

I’d also ask if I was being considered to fill the role vacated by my dearly departed boss, and if not what I needed to do to be competitive for that role.

Good luck!

 

[OREGUN]

Can you please sign off the Max-7 before you bail, at least?

 

[Franko]

You weren't promoted into your dead bosses position (CTO) and didn't get any kind of a meaningful raise or retention bonus. You might have been skipped on the CTO promotion as you had only been there for 2 years and that is an important position, but the lack of a raise or performance bonus for cleaning up the mess means that your new CTO doesn't think you deserve it and doesn't think you'd be hard to replace. Perhaps you made it look too easy.

You could go in and make a case for a raise and retention bonus increase but it's likely going to be much less than what you can make if you jump to a new employer. Start looking for a new job right now and jump the minute you can. Also, don't stay if your current employer matches the offer because they always resent you showing initiative and are going to screw you first chance they get. Better to make a clean break.

 

[Threadcutter308]

I'm retired now, but I've been through this multiple times in my career. If I had been passed over like you've described and didn't receive fair wage increases and bonuses, I'd conclude that they are taking me for granted. Not only that, but in most cases, them believing that I would "just take it". Particularly when underlings were having money thrown at them and you didn't get much of anything. You reach a point where it's no longer "business", it becomes personal.

I'd start dragging bait and responding to LinkedIn headhunter inquiries. Shoot for the moon in terms of new positions, responsibility and money/wages. I'd be very quiet/silent about it and don't show any signs of being disgruntled with your present employer. Discuss with no one other than your Wife and a headhunter. Loose lips will get you fired. You are at a disadvantage when looking for a new job and you don't have one presently. If something better comes along, get a contract with a new employer IN WRITING. Establish a start date with the new employer and make sure that everything with the new employer is sewn up tight before jumping.

Then and only then, give your present employer 2 weeks notice. No more than that. If they try to throw money at you to stay or to "help with the transition" politely (but steadfastly) decline. Stick to your guns. They had their chance. in fact, they had plenty of chances. But, don't waste your time or energy telling them that. They'll just get pissed. Just tell them you are moving on and nothing will change that. They'll probably try and "guilt" you into staying. People get suckered into that all the time. Don't. There's nothing in it for you in the long run.

They are taking advantage of you. You are not a priority to them. They have already figured out their responses and battle plan in anticipation of you going to them and asking for more money. The only leverage you have in that situation is to threaten to quit. That will only poison the well. In fact, the well is already poisoned (by no fault of your own). If you present even the strongest of cases on your behalf and they don't give you what you are looking for, it will only breed resentment on your part. You'll walk out of the meeting feeling like you got screwed once again. You need to go somewhere else where you will be happy, treated fairly and with a little respect and appreciation.

Cut your losses, find something better, move on and don't waste your time and energy looking back.

 

[kenny1773]

I am going to guess that someone just doesn't like you

I am not being mean, but its the simplest explanation for what is happening, assuming your perception of your performance is accurate.

 

[diverdon]

I am going to guess that someone just doesn't like you

I am not being mean, but its the simplest explanation for what is happening, assuming your perception of your performance is accurate.

Could be, but also could be they are just cheap fucks.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

1. As an employer I will pay you the least I can possibly get away with and you still give your all.
2. I want an employee to be just as aggressive for himself as his work. Meaning, come into the office and lay out how you are a benefit to the company and what your value is to the competition or similar role in another industry. I've had people come and say that they have an opportunity to take a job elsewhere that pays XYZ dollars (I knew what the other place was paying). Some I told that I could not match that but I could go as far as XYZ dollars and I wish them well if they decide to leave.
3. An individuals compensation is not something in the forefront of day to day operation. Meaning, the squeaky wheel gets the oil. It's on you, Clark Griswold. But don't have cousin Eddy bring the boss home giftwrapped.

 

[Fx51LP308]

Trust me, I worked on Wall St for over 12 years in the financial services industry. This kind of thing happens all the time. They base compensation decisions on one thing.... "Retention." Who can they least afford to see leave the firm. They're the ones that get the biggest bonuses, etc. And a lot of it can be based on competitive rates, etc. (i.e what might a competitive firm offer this person, if they choose to leave)? They may not have as much money in the bonus pool as one would think, especially if it wasn't the best year, financially for the firm. So that's also a factor. They could also be testing you to see if you do leave. When I started at this Wall St. Firm, for my first compensation review, my raise and bonus were only $5000.00 each. Flat rate. That was a test to see how loyal I'd be. They got much better, later on.

Another thing they do if they can't give you money (for the above reasons) is give you other things. For example, "Corporate Titles." Your "job title" might be "Manager of this" or whatever, but you could start your way up the "Corporate Title" ladder: "Assist. Vice Pres," "VP," "First VP," "Senior VP," "Director," and "Managing Director" at the top. People who have been "in the system" know what Corporate titles are, what they mean, and the politics involved in getting them. I made it to VP at least. Another part of a compensation pkg (and a big one at my former firm) is "Office Space." You work towards getting a "private office" (usually for a position where you had to have regular private conversations with your team members, like performance reviews, etc.), then a corner office, (larger) than a corner office with windows for the view. It;s all part of the compensation pkg, and most Wall St. types understand that. Who does the firm management feel they need to retain the most?

And the other "sad" reality of this, is being bumped by a "regime change." You could work long and hard for your current boss and have the best relationship with him/her. And just before s/he's ready to grant you that first "private office" or corporate title, the management organization reshuffles, a new regime takes over, your new boss brings all his/her "old cronies" with them, and you find yourself back at the bottom of the heap, having to scratch all the way back up to the top, again. That happened a lot, and at regular intervals. You find yourself getting nowhere, fast.

So, the question is, how willing are you to "play politics" (read: kiss a$$) and swim in that sea of sharks? And not just your own shark (your boss) but all the other sharks swimming around (the other potential bosses in re: regime changes)? If they sense that you aren't the kind of person that's willing to play the politics game, you become a threat to them and they'll try to find ways to get rid of you, primarily by *not* giving you higher "retention compensation." That, or you might be one of the first to be "laid off" if/when they have to do that (another thing understood by all who work on Wall St.). It happens . In fact, some of them even have a "lay off" party at the local pub on the evening of their departure.

To the OP: My sense is that they aren't very much concerned about you leaving. So, if you can find the same position elsewhere, go for it. Don't "threaten" to go. Never threaten. Just go. And don't give notice until you have that new position rock solid (and in writing).