Asking for a pay review

[NGC2017]

Can this be done?

Basically I have been with my employer for over 3 years now. Starting at 25 hours, and am now working 35 hours.

I honestly thought with my son starting school things would get easier, but then I learnt his school hours were a little shorter than most schools which meant I had to change my work pattern again! My boss is really good to be fair. I am lucky. In fact me asking him to change the way I worked my work-week went a lot easier than I expected. Between my son and me, we have a lot of medical appointments. And I know on some occasions it is through gritted teeth he has to allow it, but I do always feel guilty as I know it’s not convenient, but I cant really do anything as it’s for medical reasons.

I recently asked to work a full day every Monday, and for the rest of the week work around my sons school hours. This has meant my mom helps me out every Monday. I have once again had to make up lots of time as my mom cannot help me at all in October which means I have no cover. The work pattern has been working well though it has only been I few weeks, but I cant help but feel I am relying on my Mom, when she isn’t in a permanent position to be as reliable as I need. She is also looking at working more hours herself which will mean she wont be able to help me no where near as much. I will never say to my mom ‘no you cant as you have to help with my son on Mondays’, as she has her house and responsibilities too and I would never rank my needs higher than my parents.

This has made me wonder if I need to be looking at reducing my work hours from 35, to 32.5 a week, so a matter of 30 minutes a day. This will then mean all I need to worry about is school holidays (sorted), as my son can go to breakfast club, which he does 4 days a week already and he loves it. My issue is I really cannot afford to take the hit with my pay. I wont get into the whys as I have commented on many threads on mumsnet about my financial worries/issues, but honestly what may seem very little to most, makes a big difference to me, and it is something I really cannot afford to lose.

I am mortified at the thought of asking if my pay can be reviewed but I feel this is where I am at. Since I have started, I have never had a pay rise (only the normal few pence ear year). However my job has escalated pretty quickly, getting involved in everything but being on the road pretty much. When I was hired it was as a receptionist only.

Has anyone ever asked for a pay review? If so how should I go about it? It really isn’t a lot I don’t feel, but I would like to keep my salary at what it is now, just reduce my hours, so it works out at £5 extra a day.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

TIA x

I'd be reluctant to in your situation, but that's not because of anything other than the fact that you've only changed your work pattern a few weeks ago, claim it is working but then said that you won't be able to work the new pattern at all throughout October.

I would sit down and be be honest with your manager if you're comfortable enough to do so.
Say that you're wanting to drop the 30 minutes each day to become more reliable but with that you will be having an extra expense with the breakfast club so is it possible to have a salary review - especially having worked there 3 years without one.
You can only ask.

Sorry I should have said, my boss is aware my parents go away in June and October for the whole month, so it isn't like he wasn't expecting it as this happens every year. Hence why I made up the hours in August to cover the Monday's throughout October

Gosh this is a hard one - so I understand what you mean, you're thinking to ask your boss for the reduced hours of 30 min per day but for your pay to remain the same? Or do you want your pay to go up as well as the hours reduced?

Have you done he maths to see how much pay this 10 hours a month equates to? If for example you were paid £8p/h, then you are technically requesting almost £1000 pay rise a year which is nothing to most employers.

I think your boss maybe able to just about swallow this one. But if you are going to request reduced hours and more pay on top of the above, I think you'd probably get a flat no to be honest. But I don't know your boss so he may be very generous!

I think you need to make 100% sure that this set up is going to work for you long term now though. As you don't want to have to approach this again in the near future as a) I can imagine it is stressful as hell for you! And b) probably a tad irritating for your boss.

Good luck

Thanks for your replies.

Yes that's what it is. I do not want to ask for more money, just the remain of the same salary at 2.5 hours less a week. It is a little over £1000 a year. I would love more money (who wouldn't) but I know we can manage just about of what I currently earn. I am not greedy so wouldn't dare ask for more money AND reduced hours. I would feel ashamed lol.

For me this comes down to wanting to be more reliable. I have found relying on other in the past has meant I am often late or having to request changes. I see both sides. I cannot stop those helping me out doing the things they need to do, but I also know I am being employed to do a job and my Boss has no duty to keep doing me all these favours.
By doing it all myself I cant see how this would have to change in the future, as the schools breakfast club is always offered during school time. And the 4 days a week where I work around my sons school hours, I arrive at work before my start time and arrive at school as the bell rings to collect him. So for my Boss this will make me more reliable/consistent

Don’t ask for a pay review because of your personal circumstances! Either your skills/experience/value/contribution/market rate warrants a pay rise or it doesn’t. If you feel you deserve a pay rise, put together a business case, including details of market rate for your job, increased responsibilities, high performance etc and ask for one.

My work duties increased very quickly after I started. He could possibly argue that I have been doing all these additional duties for over 3 years now and never asked for a review.
The thing is I am big on honesty, and what is driving this is my need to change for personal circumstances. My options are very very limited. Do I feel underpaid for the amount I do, yes! But would I still do it if my personal circumstances weren't changing, yes I probably would. I need to work 30 minutes less a day, but I cannot afford to take that loss financially, so it will mean me having to look elsewhere, but we all know finding jobs around your needs is not as easy as we would like. Plus I love my job. I do it very well and am never short of fantastic feedback from lots of people I see. If I can avoid it I dont want to look elsewhere

Your personal circumstances might be what’s driving you. But that’s irrelevant to your employer. When you’re asking for something from anyone, you need to present your case based on what factors they would consider relevant/important to their decision

Is this the only option? Could you actually ask for more money, put yourself on more stable hours and pay elsewhere for childcare. You mention a breakfast club, is there an after-school club or is there a childminder that your son could go to after school?

On the face of it, you have a boss who is flexible to your needs but you cannot rely on your mother to continue to provide childcare on Mondays.

You were hired as a receptionist but quickly were given other tasks and responsibilities. Based on your statement that 2.5 hours per week over a year equals 1,000 pounds, you are paid somewhere in the region of minimum wage. You have been there for three years.

What are your medium to long term plans? Is this a job that you could see yourself in for the foreseeable future? Would you consider looking for a full time job that gave you enough money to pay for afterschool care as well? Or are the health issues you allude to, too significant to allow this?

Could you sit down with your boss and have a review and say that now your son is at school, and there are childcare possibilities, you would like to ensure that your career progression and job security is on a firm footing. Say how much you appreciate the flexibility you have been given and how much you enjoy your job.

Compare your pay to other jobs in the market and ask your boss for a pay rise that will support your increased childcare costs.

I have always felt it was unfair for my son to have to do similar hours to me. He is 4, and in school. He shouldn't have to do longer days just because of me. I want to be part of his school life, being able to collect him and do his homework with him. I have had years of paying for childcare and I have found it incredibly hard. Not to mention it being the thing that has always got me turned down on remortgage applications.
I will sit down and look at all my options but I am reluctant to using further childcare and making my sons days longer, which is likely to not really benefit us anyway, as working longer hours will mean I will have to pay out childcare which is an expense I have finally been able to eliminate

I understand all of that!! And it is a great benefit that you are able to work school hours 4 days a week on nearly full time pay.

I think it will be difficult to ask for a pay rise to cover the shortfall in hours but I really think it sounds like you are underpaid.

Maybe go in honestly, ask for a review of your job description and performance. Provide evidence to prove that you can continue to do your job at the level that you are doing it in fewer hours. Say that you would struggle to take a financial hit but do genuinely believe that you are working at a level that is above your pay grade.

Would it be possible to offer to work an hour from home in the evenings? You mention travel so it might not be but there may be parts of your job you can do remotely.