Am I mad to consider accepting a promotion without a pay rise?

[CadburyCrunchy]

Position has become available due to various redundancies (previous manager had been there years and was on a lot more money). I've subsequently been offered the job to manage a team of 11 but the condition / clause is to agree to stay on my current salary for at least a year due to budget restrictions and 'cost saving' strategies...

After a year there may be a pay rise (no guarantee) but no where near that of previous person's salary. The advantage would be I'd get experience in the role so could go elsewhere with that and go up the career ladder but in the meantime I'd have all the extra responsibility and stress without any extra cash in my pocket!

Are they taking the complete piss?

Don't take it.

So it depends how adverse you are to moving jobs and whether management experience is needed for the next step up.

it could actually be a good move as a stepping stone (it can often be a difficult step to get people management experience without people management experience).

Personally I would say yes but negotiate a small pay rise.

Myself I could never take a job that somebody was previously doing for much more money - I would feel completely taken advantage of.

Perhaps offer something like doing the job on a 6 month contract at your current salary with the ability to move back down no questions asked at the end of the 6 months - do not mention salary at this point.

Then at the end of the 6 months tell them you would love to continue the role and set out your expectation for salary. I bet they will end up giving you more money than going through recruitment all over again.

Ah give it a rest. Don’t go trying to make it in to a “gender pay gap” issue…

This is exactly the kind of practice that makes the gender pay gap an issue. A man would probably say absolutely not. Women are less likely to challenge, push for pay increases and vote with their feet.

Of course they are taking the piss. It’s not a promotion if you are on the same pay. Would they be expecting you to manage people on the same pay as you (or higher)?

You could:
• negotiate a deal
• look for another job
• decline the offer

I’d advise against taking on the new role without a firm written agreement on T&Cs (including salary), or having an exit strategy (use the role as leverage for a better paid job elsewhere).

@WTAFSomedays gives good advice.

I would, do it for 6months to a year then find something else on more money with the experience you have gained.

Why in gods name would anyone do this? Taking the piss big style

I'd take it, and immediately start interviewing elsewhere for a role of the same higher level (and more pay). Sometimes it's easier to get a title if you already have the title...

This. I would use the title and gtfo.

I was an entry-level new starter at the same time as a male colleague - we had the same experience and background. I was offered 25k for the junior role, he was offered 30. He said he didn't negotiate, it's just what they offered. We were doing the exact same thing.

The gender pay gap absolutely exists in these situations.

That is an horrendous way to treat people! Playing you off against another person. Yes they should pay you more and yes yea should look for another job. What's the point of gaining experience of you won't get paid more?

The present incumbent in this scenario is a man, and the OP, who is being offered exactly fuck all to do the same work, is a woman. The employer's, ahem, reasoning is specious, so yeah, it does sort of look like that.

www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_008091/lang--en/index.html

This has just happened to me.

Take the promotion, slap the new title on your CV and go to the market with your fancy new job title and your knowledge of what the role should pay.

They'll probably offer to match it when you resign- tell them the trust is broken and go.

Personally I would say yes but negotiate a small pay rise.

Why small?

Why not negotiate the going rate for a job that a man used to do, who will have been given the right pay matched to the role specification, because men don't put up with this appalling treatment in the workplace. They've never needed to, so women shouldn't stay conditioned to accepting a token gesture to keep them quiet.

Update...

Just to update you where we are now... I put my proposal and reasons for a justifiably extra 10k in writing which is still significantly lower than the current departing manager's salary. The title of the job vacancy has since changed so technically it's now considered a 'new role' and an 'exciting opportunity' to join the team as described on the company careers Ethernet advert. That basically means they can name the salary without questions...

In response I was told to refer to the advert and to 'leave it with them for now' to see what they could do. Well that was last week and no news yet so the original Friday decision day has been and gone! Interestingly, the advert doesn't have a closing date... I have no idea how long I should wait before enquiring again as I now feel a bit lost at sea...

Firstly good for you.

Secondly this company and their HR are clearly a bit shit in many ways how they’ve gone about this so think about your medium term plan. They can change job title to whatever but the responsibilities and job description. is what determines salary, the rest is just getting around a redundancy or making it seem a new role.

Finally they haven’t said “no” and you’ve made them think. I would leave it another week to see if anyone acknowledges this professionally. They may be seeing what other mugs apply who they get can away with paying no extra to - you won’t be that person.

What @KoalaCape says way back on page one.

Also… genuinely think about the integrity of the company. If you believe they are coming at this in good faith it’s definitely worth not dismissing out of hand.

Sometimes managers are genuinely not paid more than their staff, or less in some cases. Sometimes long-serving employees are completely overpaid.

Here’s a bit of life advice… your manager’s manager is the most influential person in your life at work believe it or not. Seek out this person straight away and ask for a confidential meeting to have a candid conversation about what is happening. This person will end up being your boss so you have nothing to lose. Don’t just ‘wait and see’.

OP, what did they say?

Well that was last week and no news yet so the original Friday decision day has been and gone! Interestingly, the advert doesn't have a closing date... I have no idea how long I should wait before enquiring again as I now feel a bit lost at sea...

I suspect they are trying to find somebody as good as you who will do the job for less money.

this, once, decades ago and in a very different job market I took on a big promotion for less than £2 a day.

I'd insist on a pay rise even a token one (of a few hundred pounds although I'd ask for 1% - 2%) to show everyone agrees it is a promotion with substantial additional responsibility not just a relabelling of your current role.