This Guy Went “Above And Beyond” At Work For 3 Years – Shared How He Was Rewarded By His Boss
Let’s just put it this way: asking for a raise is not the most pleasant thing out there. After all, this survey shows how grim the reality of doing so may be: a whopping 33% of employees who were denied a raise were provided no rationale. And of those who did receive some rationale, just over 25% actually believed it. Do I smell some serious communication issues happening between employees and their employers?
This story comes from an Imgur user who said he had been going “above and beyond” every day for the last 3 years until he finally asked for a merit raise. However, instead of an encouraging approval, the employee received a cold “no” without explanation.
Read the full story below, which for many may sadly sound all too relatable, and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments. Also, whoever has been in a similar position, let us know how you handled it.
After going above and beyond at work, this guy finally stepped up and asked for a raise only to receive a cold solid “no” in return
Image credits: SSGCatfish
It takes a lot of courage after gathering all your confidence, support and feedback from your co-workers to go to your superior and ask for a raise. So it’s only fair to get very upset after being denied one, especially if you feel and know that you really deserve this one. And you’re far from the only one.
In fact, a PayScale survey found that a majority of companies said that they aren’t planning to provide a meaningful pay increase to their staff this year. Moreover, nearly 70 percent said they plan to provide pay increases of 3 percent or less to some of their employees. But what if you don’t take “no” for the end of conversation and continue the negotiation further?
Asking “why” is a fair follow-up question after being denied a raise. A question like “I’d really love to get a better understanding of why my request wasn’t granted. Is there something I can be doing more of?” is the way to go, according to Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy at PayScale. And if your supervisor is not able to provide a clear answer, take it as a big bright red flag.
And this is what people had to comment on this whole situation
43Kviews
Share on FacebookI like how half the comments are "Jump ship", "look for another place" when the OP already details the two alternatives in their location as being even worse, with no desire to move house over this.
Maybe they commented before reading the bottom or the last part could have been an edit?
Load More Replies...I've worked super hard for nearly 17 years at my job, including volunteering for tons of projects that were way above my pay grade, all with the hope of being promoted to office manager when the previous manager retired. Just found out that I didn't get the job; instead, they hired someone from outside the division. I naively thought that loyalty, hard work, and being a team player would get me somewhere, but obviously I was wrong. Now I'm planning to jump ship as soon as I can find an opening somewhere.
That's a hell of a slap in the face and I don't blame you one bit!
Load More Replies...If the guy can't get another job or move to get another job, the best thing he can do is to stop doing al the extra "behind the scene" work and stick to his job description. None of his employers or co-workers will be working extra without any compensation, so he'd be a fool if he continued working his @ss off, knowing that it won't get him a better pay. If the hospital suffers because of his inactivity, they might reconsider their point of view. If he's capable of arranging matters in a way that his absence would be noted in 3 years, I'm sure he has it in him to be successful and get a better paying job elsewhere. Even if it may set him back now.
Stop doing all of the things that you do in the background that go unnoticed and unappreciated you owe them nothing more than what they pay you to do. I'm in a similar position but I'm 11 years in and have seen other people's careers progress on the back of my hard work multiple times - it really is a horrible situation to be in
Agreed. We just got promotions and merit raises where I work. One of my coworkers (my replacement at the front desk when I took over a vacant position) joined my dept a year and a half after I had started. This year she was promoted to my level and got an 18% raise. I got a 3% raise. Also, my overworked area (2 ppl doing finance for an entire university department) recently absorbed a coworker whose boss left and he needed something to do. I'm currently training him. He makes over 12K a year more than me and I'm training him...as well as a newbie who outranks me title-wise and also makes way more than I do. How is it that I'm training people who make way more than I do? I am the one with the knowledge and experience, yet I'm the one making a pittance. I've grown so bitter over it, I'm ready to leave. The whole department will be so screwed if I leave. Oh well.
Load More Replies...Been there done that. Got burned, learned my lesson. Plus if you pick up slack in my office that becomes your responsibility without more pay. So what I do now? Just what I need to and what was asked of me.
Stop going above and beyond, you're not going to get rewarded at this job comparable to your worth. Do the bare minimum you're required to do until you can find a better opportunity. Prioritize yourself and your life over lazy employers and coworkers. Good luck.
This reminds me of an all too familiar situation I've seen in both rural, and/or tourist, communities. When I lived in Phoenix, I would often hear about the lower wages in the area when compared to other cities, even after you factored in the region's supposedly lower cost of living. Then I would hear the 'Chamber of Commerce Refrain' of 'well just step outside, part of your pay is that good weather'... OK, I tried my best, however I never figured out a way to pay my bills with 'the weather', no matter how good it was. I'm currently living in a rural community, and now I think of the lower wages, getting by with less services generally, and the added expenses, all add up to a form of 'rural tax'. This notion doesn't really help the situation, but the rationalisation help distract me from the injury and insult. Good luck, and I do wish you well.
I feel this. Worked at my old employer for 15 years. Always went "above & beyond", Did other people's jobs, etc. A supervisor position opened up. I was , in fact, the only one that put in for it. They decided to bring in a new hire, so they could pay her a starting salary which was far less than what I would have been paid for the position. She got fired a month later for embezzlement. They then offered me the position, which I declined. From that point on, I did only what was originally hired to do. The department fell apart. I have no regrets.
We are all conditioned to believe countless myths about American life (I'm sure many are duplicated in other countries) and a pervasive one is that you will be rewarded for hard work and loyalty. This is an easily provable lie. Be loyal to yourself. Work hard in support of your own goals, not those of an employer. If you feel exploited, overworked, and under-compensated, devise a plan for getting out and do at least one thing every day in service to that plan.
I like how half the comments are "Jump ship", "look for another place" when the OP already details the two alternatives in their location as being even worse, with no desire to move house over this.
Maybe they commented before reading the bottom or the last part could have been an edit?
Load More Replies...I've worked super hard for nearly 17 years at my job, including volunteering for tons of projects that were way above my pay grade, all with the hope of being promoted to office manager when the previous manager retired. Just found out that I didn't get the job; instead, they hired someone from outside the division. I naively thought that loyalty, hard work, and being a team player would get me somewhere, but obviously I was wrong. Now I'm planning to jump ship as soon as I can find an opening somewhere.
That's a hell of a slap in the face and I don't blame you one bit!
Load More Replies...If the guy can't get another job or move to get another job, the best thing he can do is to stop doing al the extra "behind the scene" work and stick to his job description. None of his employers or co-workers will be working extra without any compensation, so he'd be a fool if he continued working his @ss off, knowing that it won't get him a better pay. If the hospital suffers because of his inactivity, they might reconsider their point of view. If he's capable of arranging matters in a way that his absence would be noted in 3 years, I'm sure he has it in him to be successful and get a better paying job elsewhere. Even if it may set him back now.
Stop doing all of the things that you do in the background that go unnoticed and unappreciated you owe them nothing more than what they pay you to do. I'm in a similar position but I'm 11 years in and have seen other people's careers progress on the back of my hard work multiple times - it really is a horrible situation to be in
Agreed. We just got promotions and merit raises where I work. One of my coworkers (my replacement at the front desk when I took over a vacant position) joined my dept a year and a half after I had started. This year she was promoted to my level and got an 18% raise. I got a 3% raise. Also, my overworked area (2 ppl doing finance for an entire university department) recently absorbed a coworker whose boss left and he needed something to do. I'm currently training him. He makes over 12K a year more than me and I'm training him...as well as a newbie who outranks me title-wise and also makes way more than I do. How is it that I'm training people who make way more than I do? I am the one with the knowledge and experience, yet I'm the one making a pittance. I've grown so bitter over it, I'm ready to leave. The whole department will be so screwed if I leave. Oh well.
Load More Replies...Been there done that. Got burned, learned my lesson. Plus if you pick up slack in my office that becomes your responsibility without more pay. So what I do now? Just what I need to and what was asked of me.
Stop going above and beyond, you're not going to get rewarded at this job comparable to your worth. Do the bare minimum you're required to do until you can find a better opportunity. Prioritize yourself and your life over lazy employers and coworkers. Good luck.
This reminds me of an all too familiar situation I've seen in both rural, and/or tourist, communities. When I lived in Phoenix, I would often hear about the lower wages in the area when compared to other cities, even after you factored in the region's supposedly lower cost of living. Then I would hear the 'Chamber of Commerce Refrain' of 'well just step outside, part of your pay is that good weather'... OK, I tried my best, however I never figured out a way to pay my bills with 'the weather', no matter how good it was. I'm currently living in a rural community, and now I think of the lower wages, getting by with less services generally, and the added expenses, all add up to a form of 'rural tax'. This notion doesn't really help the situation, but the rationalisation help distract me from the injury and insult. Good luck, and I do wish you well.
I feel this. Worked at my old employer for 15 years. Always went "above & beyond", Did other people's jobs, etc. A supervisor position opened up. I was , in fact, the only one that put in for it. They decided to bring in a new hire, so they could pay her a starting salary which was far less than what I would have been paid for the position. She got fired a month later for embezzlement. They then offered me the position, which I declined. From that point on, I did only what was originally hired to do. The department fell apart. I have no regrets.
We are all conditioned to believe countless myths about American life (I'm sure many are duplicated in other countries) and a pervasive one is that you will be rewarded for hard work and loyalty. This is an easily provable lie. Be loyal to yourself. Work hard in support of your own goals, not those of an employer. If you feel exploited, overworked, and under-compensated, devise a plan for getting out and do at least one thing every day in service to that plan.
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