Colleague doing same job has double my pay..

sentinelstrike · 3 Aug 2018 at 19:57

Hi,

I've come to believe that one of my colleagues who does exactly the same job as me, earns almost double what I earn, they have been with the company for 20 years, I've been there for 5. I would expect someone who has been with the company for this length of time but not to earn almost double. Or maybe this is the norm...

I have more qualifications than them and often have to assist them with their work...

My question is how do I approach this with my employer? Should I even bother? I enjoy the job and the working environment so don't want to rush for the door.

Any advice appreciated!

WYNIR0 · 3 Aug 2018 at 20:01

I'd make sure I was completely sure, then I'd raise it as a grievance stating my case very calmly. Can't imagine for a second that you'll get parity but might see a nice raise.

DJ85 · 3 Aug 2018 at 20:03

Yeah make sure it’s true and then question with HR,line manager I’m in a similar position everyone at my work seems to be on a differant rate however we all do the same job!

A2Z · 3 Aug 2018 at 20:15

I would start looking for a new job.

MissChief · 3 Aug 2018 at 20:48

A2Z said:
I would start looking for a new job.

If your manager is a good one they might give you a raise but certainly not to the level of your colleague. This is the only real way to secure a big increase. Are you being paid market rate for what you do?

sentinelstrike · 3 Aug 2018 at 21:20

If I did approach the company about a rise

WYNIR0 said:
I'd make sure I was completely sure, then I'd raise it as a grievance stating my case very calmly. Can't imagine for a second that you'll get parity but might see a nice raise.

I'm more than sure it is true, I'm not expecting parity as you generally expect someone who's been there 20 years to get a bit more!

sentinelstrike · 3 Aug 2018 at 21:22

MissChief said:
If your manager is a good one they might give you a raise but certainly not to the level of your colleague. This is the only real way to secure a big increase. Are you being paid market rate for what you do?

From looking online recently, I could secure a decent raise by moving as the market rate does seem to have increased. At this time I am surprised there is such a HUGE difference between me and my colleague.

WYNIR0 · 3 Aug 2018 at 21:42

sentinelstrike said:
From looking online recently, I could secure a decent raise by moving as the market rate does seem to have increased. At this time I am surprised there is such a HUGE difference between me and my colleague.

In my experience, most employers will pay you what they can get away with.

flea.rider · 3 Aug 2018 at 21:42

sentinelstrike said:
From looking online recently, I could secure a decent raise by moving as the market rate does seem to have increased. At this time I am surprised there is such a HUGE difference between me and my colleague.

you could always look for another job .. go for an interview .. get it .. then go see your boss .. tell him your leaving and why ..
you will either get a goodbye (not worth the effort to make you stay ) or you will get a very nice raise (to good to be lost )
least you will know where you stand ..

sentinelstrike · 4 Aug 2018 at 10:03

Thanks all, I have a pretty good relationship with the company, so I'll probably bring it up with them. If I can't get what I want from them (I'm not expecting parity). I know that I'll need to move on.

dowie · 4 Aug 2018 at 11:35

This isn't all that uncommon, especially if you're talking about someone who has been in that role for 20 years... if it makes you feel better just consider that they've either failed or haven't bothered to try and progress their careers but have just sat their plodding away and taking token pay rises each year.

You'll generally progress in terms of salary by getting promoted or moving jobs, you can certainly bring your pay up with your boss - it isn't exactly an uncommon thing for them to have to deal with.

There are a couple of potential issues here, there might well be internal limits on how much your boss can approve in terms of a pay rise (these might change if you were to hand your notice in and his boss gets involved etc..) there is also the quite likely possibility that the person you're comparing yourself to is vastly overpaid for the role, while you might be a bit underpaid he might not be the best comparison.

PaulCa · 4 Aug 2018 at 16:35

Check your contract. Normally your salary and that of others is confidential with stated grievance policy for breach. In other words by revealing you know his/her salary you could be putting yourself in risk of a verbal or written warning. Possibly the same for them for revealing it.

I would leave his/her salary alone as none of your business and ask instead of how you can work towards a pay rise.

dark-knight · 4 Aug 2018 at 16:52

I have just done this, I gathered the evidence and criteria against my roles and responsibility and where that falls within the grading system. I emailed my leader and gave him the facts, it took a couple of months but its come through. Not a significant raise but one that puts me at the very top of my grade.

Do not go by hear say. Get the facts and formally approach your leader/boss or if like me I had to send it via an email, that way there is a paper trail to keep as evidence if needed.

dowie · 4 Aug 2018 at 17:45

PaulCa said:
Check your contract. Normally your salary and that of others is confidential with stated grievance policy for breach. In other words by revealing you know his/her salary you could be putting yourself in risk of a verbal or written warning. Possibly the same for them for revealing it.

Rather dubious, if you were to openly discuss your salary with others etc.. then perhaps. You finding out about someone else's though, well it wasn't you that breached confidentiality. You can't get in trouble simply because you know something you shouldn't.

HoneyBadger · 4 Aug 2018 at 19:31

It’s none of your business. You obviously made the decision that you were happy to accept whatever pay you’re on for doing the job.

malachi · 5 Aug 2018 at 03:10

HoneyBadger said:
It’s none of your business. You obviously made the decision that you were happy to accept whatever pay you’re on for doing the job.

That's fine if you only had been in the job a few months. Not fine if you have been there for years.

If the OP thinks they are worth the same pay as their colleagues then they need to speak up and not sit there in silence.

Ayahuasca · 5 Aug 2018 at 06:14

In the UK there seems to be some unwritten rule that salary should never be discussed and more and more employers seem to be trying to stamp down on it by stopping any negotiations at appraisals and things like that.

dowie · 5 Aug 2018 at 06:17

HoneyBadger said:
It’s none of your business. You obviously made the decision that you were happy to accept whatever pay you’re on for doing the job.

Well that is nonsense, it is his business whether he's paid appropriately. While he has no right to know his colleague's salary given that he does know it then it is useful information to him. Perhaps he was happy 5 years ago, maybe he's not happy now - things change, he's perfectly entitled to ask for more money and his employer is perfectly entitled to say no. He's also perfectly entitled to try and find another employer who will pay him more.

Juggy1985 · 5 Aug 2018 at 06:59

I’m in the same boat as op. Without a doubt i’m the most skilled and productive but someones got 10+ years of service on me and earns considerably more. I’ve handed in my notice as it pee’d me off so much, even had a personal call from a director asking me to stay. Where i’m at you only get more pay for years served and not skill. I stayed as I’m lucky enough to have only a 5-10 minute walk to work so save a lot of time/money/stress not having to run another car. Pays ok but far from great.

PaulCa · 5 Aug 2018 at 08:00

Your salary depends on more than the job itself. It is tailored to the individual and what their requirements are. As a contrived example, a 22 year old graduate in their first year on the job might not have much expectation and their life style might be quite "cheap", so they may only ask for or expect £25k. A career switching 38 year old, in HIS first year on the same job, with a work at home wife, two kids, a mortgage, a car who intents to continue to go abroad once a year and change his car ever 3 might state higher expectations. He might state he needs £35k and possibly get it.

Sometimes there is enough flexibility for this to happen. However, it's none of your business what you colleague gets paid.

If you don't like what YOU are being paid then raise that with the correct parties in work.

A track record and looking attractive to your employer, especially if the job market is in the employees favour can allow for you to get significant bumps in salary when moving jobs. I have averaged 2k increase a year in my job, but I have taken bumps of 8k in one job move.