Furious about colleague's salary

[fightfirewithfiree]

I am this person's line manager and I just found out she earns more than me.

She does not have any special/ technical skills that I don't - her job role is what I used to do for 4 years before being promoted to management - and she's not even that good at it if I'm honest.

She has been in the organisation a year less than me.

I have been her manager for a year now. My boss is very hush-hush about salaries but I found out inadvertently her salary is £1000 per year more than mine (an administrator/ finance person showed me something she didn't realise I wasn't supposed to see).

I actually think it's ridiculous anyway that I'm her line manager and am not supposed to know her salary. Feel like leaving the organisation, feeling very devalued.

It's a really unpleasant thing to have to raise with my manager, I hate talking about money but if I'm managing someone surely I should earn more than them, I have far more resposibility for all kinds of things.

WWYD?

You are taking this personally and immaturely really. People have to advocate for themselves and this happens all the time. It happened to me. I found out a colleague, male, made more than me. He told me his rent and said it was a third of his salary so I figured out he made a lot more than me. I did not reference this, but I asked for a meeting and said I did not think my salary was commensurate with my responsibilities. We took it from there and I ended up with a significant raise. Don’t make yourself crazy. Make your case and if it doesn’t go well look for a new position.

Book a few hours with an expert with a camera, as to how to put across the points to raise when negotiating a wage increase and body language. I don’t think you need to say anything about the other person because you get it on your own merit. Good luck.

Been in that situation. I told them straight that I'd seen the salary and was annoyed. They bumped me up. But it all left a bad taste and I ended up leaving anyway.

Actually your colleague has done nothing wrong,she negotiated favourable pay. You didn't
Now you need to get your own compelling case for a rise,list your skills,your contribution etc and negotiate your own pay rise
Dont make this about her,make it about yourself. your talents, case for why you want a pay rise

If youre thinking of handing your notice in, then youve got nothing to lose by strongly assertively negotiating a pay rise. See what theyve got to say for themselves. If youre that pissed off ( i would be too), then negotiate a pay rise and look for another job too

I’ve been in this situation about 10 years ago and despite my actions at the time being borne from anger I was lucky as my manager did me a favour.

This situation happens a lot more than you would realise - where useless or less experienced people are paid a fortune more than others. It’s just the market unfortunately and it’s business.

Find out what you might earn elsewhere and THEN go and talk to your manager. In doing this you also need to decide if you really want to work for them.

I bet you anything she got another offer and they countered! Did she apply for your new job and you got it? They might have given you the title and her the pay to stop her leaving.

In my situation:

Then the person I managed had much less experience, we hired her at a time when she had been unemployed for some time and didn’t have options. But my manager was given a budget which would have been taken away if he hasn’t used it so he just paid her the full amount he was authorised. She was on 5% more than me.

I got mad found another job - which paid10% more than her, was an amazing company and paid better benefits. I then let that slip in my HR exit interview that I know she was on more. The CEO found out and told me to name any number.

My line manager (who had worked for the company for a long time) told me to go to the new job rather than take a 30% raise as he felt the prospects would be better for me. He was right - in under 3 years my salary was almost 50% higher.

The girl I managed still works for my old company in the same role.

takeaways:

• you will always be in situations where people who are not as good as you will be paid more
• sometimes it’s better for companies to invest in people who ‘might not be as good’ as they might be solid and in it for the long term.
• If you want a real raise you normally need another offer (but can only do this once if that - without losing credibility)
• Whereas they might feel you are better, they may also feel that the chances of you going eventually are much higher

It’s a really awful situation and you are 100% right to be upset. But if you want to get the right outcome, I would suggest you think strategically to make sure you get what you deserve.

Because really this isn’t about the other colleague it’s about your worth. Good luck!

Huge applause @Rainbowsinthesky well said

No.

It’s common to have direct reports who earn more than team leaders and managers. It is usually skill set or experience dependant.

In football terms, the new striker usually comes into the team earning more than the current one.

Take a note from jordan peterson about being disagreeable for a bit and request a review of your salary and role. If it doesn’t work out beneficial for you, move on.

Great answer.

It’s probably as simple as she asked for it. This is why men tend to put earn women, they’re more likely to ask for more.

if you want more, go and ask for it. Worst they can say is no and then you look else where.

If you’re on a 34hr contract, you can go home once you’ve done your hours.
It’s your contract - it is set in stone!
If you cannot do the job in that time, it either means you’re not working smart enough or your work is taking the pee and need to either increase your contracted hours or employ another person to get the job done.

When I accepted the job they said it had to be full-time but said they would rediscuss after a year if I had got various issues sorted. It is really a full time job but I wanted a day off. I am considering returning to full-time and asking for a 9 day fortnight.
However, there are few people I know in Band 8 posts and above who only work their contacted hours. At that level, you work the hours you need to to get job done. If you are suddenly asked to provide extra info for a business case with a short deadline and your diary is already full you just have to get it done. I try and record my TOIL but usually cannot take it.
I think the biggest issue in terms of the NHS trying to entice staff from Band 7 to 8a is that for an extra £18 a week, with no increase for 5 years, most people don't want to take on all the extra responsibility.

Aha I get you. The NHS needs a complete overhaul.

Does seem odd you don't know the salary of the people you line manage. Obviously someone is keeping something quiet. Take it up with your manager and say you want an increase yourself.

It sounds to me like your well paid colleague might be mates with your boss.

I worked with a woman once who all her hires were related to /associated with her in some way of other. It was only after she left through comments like 'I'm still in touch with her because she's a mate of my mum's' and 'she's my aunt' that we found this out.

I work with a guy who gets

• triple time xmas, boxing & new years day ( l get double)
• time & half for over time ( flat rate)
• double for bank Holidays ( l get time & half)

He's on a contract 8 months older than mine. New starters are on worse contract than me !
Think this is grossly unfair, especially as he's less qualified.
Did the only thing l was able, voted with my feet and walked.

Better hours better pay and don't get my nose rubbed in it every day!

You are not being unreasonable. I was in

I was in a similar situation earlier in my career, not the cronyism but was managing people and then wasn't allowed to see their salaries because they were higher than mine. I had seen the offers before as I was interviewing them. I took it up with management and got the payrise I pushed for although it was far from pleasant. The reason for the difference wasn't cronyism in my case but the new boss didn't give me the payrise that had been mooted by the old boss because he did look after his boys in a different team. It shows a lack of respect on their part and they know it which is why it is worth challenging!

I would look around at similar jobs, maybe using an agency. Find out what the current rate of pay is and you can use this information to ask for a pay rise if you want to stay where you are. I was working as an administrator in the construction industry and one of my colleagues did that as she was paid massively less than other administrators. The company reviewed all admin salaries and we all got unexpected pay rises. If you are unhappy with the company then look for another job.

I believe this is why pay slips are supposed to be private, although if you work in NHS or other public services, they are on a standard payscale so everyone pretty much knows anyway. Is it possible that she was employed on more as she had (or claimed to have) a lot of experience elsewhere.

Can’t add anything to the advice given, but ignore gumreduction, her comments are usually goady.

As an employer with unfortunately a number of staff in this position. This is my advice.

Take emotion out of it and be professional

See whoever does your pay review and put your case forward that you are a loyal and hard working employee and feel underpaid. You don't want to start looking elsewhere and have no interest in doing so but would like them to consider a pay rise of £ 3,000 or X (give them a figure) as you feel that would be inline with the market rate for the Job and you consider you are worth in excess of this for the work and loyalty to to company.

This is a negotiation. They may not have the budget immediately at this time but might agree part now/ part at review to resolve this.
Don't mention the other person, its not relevant.

The situation you explain is not uncommon. It happens. There can be multiple reasons why this situation is as it is. Sometimes the employer has been backed into a corner, its not deliberate, no employer sets out intentionally to have people in similar jobs or managing others on less pay but it happens as i say.

In reality if you leave they will end up paying a couple of grand in fees or advertising to find someone else then train them and have all the hassle. Its cheaper to keep you happy than replace. As such if it was me in your position i would probably ask for £3k and hope they agree to give you £1.5k or 2k now and the £1k next review - if they don't do anything or show any signs of being bothered then you have your answer and start looking what else is out there but i suspect they will reach a compromise as that is what i would do.

But i stress again, don't bring the other person into it, don't get personal or bring emotion into it either, this is business. Remember this is NOT an intentional situation

Good Luck

usually

but not always

Cheers!

I would just be very careful. The important person here is you. You are the one that is dissatisfied with your earnings. It is not your colleagues fault that she has a different salary. You need to be professional about this and not even mention that you were shown something inadvertently. Address you - your salary, your future within the company. Stay focused - this does not need to involve anyone else except you and your line manager. The opposite happened to me and it was horrible. I earnt more than a colleague once (because i had a degree) she was as capable as myself but i negotiated a higher salary at the point that we were both employed. She found out (like you, by mistake). She turned into a true bitch and in the end i called her out for bullying. Needless to say she left the office crying not to return that day (she was 25 years older than me). just not nice all round. good luck - get that rise you deserve with pride!!