How to get official recognition of new job role/responsibility

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

At the beginning of the year we relocated and DH took a big pay-cut and a more junior role with a lot less responsibility than what he had been doing so he could do more of a 9-5 job, spend more time at home with the kids, escape the political management structure basically.

He was happy with this, and the pay he was getting. After a couple of months his boss asked if he'd take on a new urgent project which meant managing a couple of people, not a problem. Over the course of the year though, they've realised that they have him as a great resource and he's now basically working as head of his entire department, with everyone reporting into him (60+ people?), but still on the same salary, with the same job title that he had when hired.

He had a positive appraisal mid-year and they do annual pay reviews at end of year but he isn't sure whether to wait till then or approach them now and ask for it to be reviewed in light of what he's doing.

Any advice gratefully received!

[Loraline]

In my company pay reviews are in October but by the time you get to sit down and be told what's been decided it's too late to negotiate.

During the worst days of people being made redundant etc. a few years ago I was at risk and was the one who kept my job, increasing the people I managed by 50% and taking on lots of responsibilities. This was also in the middle of a pay freeze. When the freeze was lifted I started conversations with my head of dept. months in advance of October. I gathered info that the company had released about people who'd taken on extra responsibility during the freeze having their salaries readjusted (mine hadn't been) and also followed up on the conversation with my head of dept. with a perfectly friendly and polite email, thanking him for the chat and laying out exactly what I'd taken on over and above my previous job description. I got 10% pay rise that year (the company got 1.5%).

He needs to put the groundwork in before salary reviews in my opinion.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Good idea, we were thinking much along the same lines when it comes to the official pay review, everything is done and dusted.

[Loraline]

I had to chip away at it for a while but the key thing really was the follow up email. He was a tricky guy who you didn't want to piss off so I kept it totally friendly and professional and sent him the list of additional responsibilities 'for his reference so he had it to hand when he was making the case on my behalf to budget holders'. It kept him on side as well as making it crystal clear that I had a strong case. Lots of facts and no 'I think I deserve xyz'. Hope it goes well for him.