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Original poster

Furious about colleague's salary

295 replies

fightfirewithfiree · 18/11/2022 10:06

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?

OP posts:
Mangolist · 18/11/2022 13:32

I had this at a job I left earlier this year. Same job on this occasion, just happened that colleague was Golden person who CEO wanted to promote, so it was the start of managing me out, despite having been there two years longer, with a lot more experience and much more qualified. I took it to HR who managed to make it sound as though I was unreasonable.

Long story short, they managed, by continuing this kind of behaviour, to get rid of me. Sad, but now I realise that the entire organisation is a shit show and a joke, so all good in the end.

MavisChunch29 · 18/11/2022 13:32

Ask for a chunky payrise, definitely.

PurpleButterflyWings · 18/11/2022 13:33

You do seem to 'accidentally' stumble on people salaries a lot @fightfirewithfiree Hmm Sounds to me like you are constantly snooping, and are finding things out that you don't like.

Maybe, just MAYBE this woman IS actually worth more than you. Even though you are supposedly her 'manager.'

I know a number of people who have managers who don't pull their weight half the time, and are not THAT good at the job, and the people below them in rank at work do FAR more work. Maybe this is the case in your situation. We are only hearing your side of the story! Wink

MavisChunch29 · 18/11/2022 13:33

This is how companies get away with the gender pay gap, its important that companies are transparent about salaries, it shouldn't be a problem if they are paying people fairly.

Exactly this.

LovelyBitOfSquirrel69 · 18/11/2022 13:34

fightfirewithfiree · 18/11/2022 10:09

Should also have mentioned I'm a bit worried about the person who showed me salary details getting in trouble if I raise it with my boss, or potentially about me getting in trouble for looking at it.

I don't think you should have been snooping. And £1000 is neither here nor there really.

Mangolist · 18/11/2022 13:34

MavisChunch29 · 18/11/2022 13:33

This is how companies get away with the gender pay gap, its important that companies are transparent about salaries, it shouldn't be a problem if they are paying people fairly.

Exactly this.

Yep - I am an older female, Colleague was young man. Totally unproveable of course

Gumreduction · 18/11/2022 13:34

It’s telling that your response is “fury” and to start a thread on mumsnet and spend your time updating at length.

Would not have been the response of an effective and professional line manager. It would have been the response of an inexperienced and unprofessional line manager

which may explain the salary disparity

Itaintwhatyoudoitsthewaythatyoudoit · 18/11/2022 13:37

Explains you being on higher salary then. An organisation that pays higher on account of being there longer than others aren’t generally the most successful

The organisation opened in the 1700s so I'll let them know that Gumreduction says they aren't the most successful!

MavisChunch29 · 18/11/2022 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

HowardPol · 18/11/2022 13:39

It seems to me that you are a very good professional and it is not right that someone who has less experience than you and who is YOUR subordinate gets more money. This should be discussed directly with your supervisor.

Dreamwhisper · 18/11/2022 13:42

£1k a month more than a manager in an admin role??

Blimey.

LovelyBitOfSquirrel69 · 18/11/2022 13:43

Dreamwhisper · 18/11/2022 13:42

£1k a month more than a manager in an admin role??

Blimey.

£1k per year.

Subordinate?!! Who even still uses that word?!

Cuddlywuddlies · 18/11/2022 13:45

@HowardPol words like subordinate are just not “in” any more I’m afraid to tell you.

PurpleButterflyWings · 18/11/2022 13:46

Gumreduction · 18/11/2022 13:34

It’s telling that your response is “fury” and to start a thread on mumsnet and spend your time updating at length.

Would not have been the response of an effective and professional line manager. It would have been the response of an inexperienced and unprofessional line manager

which may explain the salary disparity

This. ^ And if the OP WAS an effective and professional 'manager' she would be on more money in the first place. As I said earlier, maybe the OP is just not very good at what she does.

DogInATent · 18/11/2022 13:47

Cuddlywuddlies · 18/11/2022 13:45

@HowardPol words like subordinate are just not “in” any more I’m afraid to tell you.

Does it require a trigger warning before use now?

Dreamwhisper · 18/11/2022 13:47

LovelyBitOfSquirrel69 · 18/11/2022 13:43

£1k per year.

Subordinate?!! Who even still uses that word?!

Show quote history

Ahhh I see that makes sense.

Good luck in your negotiations OP, I know there is a bit of an economic crisis right now but I do think in principle it just makes sense that if you're managing someone, the extra responsibility that comes with that should warrant higher pay.

That said I'm not a manager or business owner or salary setter of any kind so I'm posting more in solidarity than to offer advice!

BadNomad · 18/11/2022 13:50

Did you address the data breach with the person who showed you or their manager? They really need to be made aware of what they have done.

Tulipomania · 18/11/2022 13:52

Sounds like she's better at negotiating than you are.

FruitTwistandShake · 18/11/2022 13:56

I am not sure why people are being so harsh - if I had more responsibility and ultimately took on the accountability for any mistakes my team make, I would be pissed to be paid less.

It isn't even about longevity in a role, but the fact that seniority in most cases brings with it a burden of responsibility. If higher roles were not paid more where would the incentive be for growth - because I am definitely not taking on extra work for the 'joy' of it!

Hollyhead · 18/11/2022 13:56

Are you sure it was her salary you saw and not salary plus on-costs of employment? I would double check this before flying off accusations.

Quveas · 18/11/2022 13:57

Cuddlywuddlies · 18/11/2022 10:17

@fightfirewithfiree…so
shes not good at her job
she has no more skill than you
she has no degree…

yet she can negotiate 1k more and you can’t…come on!! What do you want from this? Go and negotiate!!

Quite. If you manage her and she's not good at her job, what are you doing about that? As for the "not better skilled" and "has no degree" - that sounds rather spiteful. People don't need degrees to be good and lots of people don't have degrees.

Stop focussing on her and what she earns. It's not even that uncommon for pay and seniority to not equate. If you are worth more than you are being paid then that is the argument you make. If they think you aren't, then they won't give you anything and you get another job and prove it. Sorry but your approach sounds rather childish - I want it because she has it and I so sooooo much better than her. That isn't a convincing argument.

ivykaty44 · 18/11/2022 13:58

bluff

go and and say you are not going to manage people earning more money - so will be looking for other opportunities

Covetthee · 18/11/2022 13:58

FruitTwistandShake · 18/11/2022 13:56

I am not sure why people are being so harsh - if I had more responsibility and ultimately took on the accountability for any mistakes my team make, I would be pissed to be paid less.

It isn't even about longevity in a role, but the fact that seniority in most cases brings with it a burden of responsibility. If higher roles were not paid more where would the incentive be for growth - because I am definitely not taking on extra work for the 'joy' of it!

Its funny isn’t that women are always the ones to beat each other down so viciously.

i can’t ever imagine a man saying another man ‘ why do you think you deserve a raise over so and so or maybe you’re just shit at your job’ and everything else being thrown at OP

then we wonder why some women don’t speak up for their worth.

Even if you don’t agree with the OP no need to be shitty in your replies

Zilla1 · 18/11/2022 14:01

Some positives, you now realise there is headroom for your negotiations and you need to reflect on your negotiating performance as you perhaps 'didn't negotiate all you a<.e off'? if a subordinate has leapfrogged you. Both should help you in the short term and long run to earn more.

notforme · 18/11/2022 14:02

Are you 100% sure what you saw is correct?