Whether you have been working for a company for many years or are looking to start, you’ll want to feel like you are getting a fair wage for your efforts. The problem is that entering pay negotiations can be difficult and often leads to negative feelings as neither party gets the desired outcome.
In fact, the issue generally revolves around perceived worth. In most cases, the employee is likely to feel they are worth more than the employer thinks. This inevitably leads to an issue and a disagreement. In extremer cases, this can lead to dismissal although this is almost certainly an unfair dismissal and will lead you to seek the services of a good compensation lawyer Burwood.
If you are ready to tackle an employer about fair, or appropriate work pay, then it pays to get your facts together first. This will ensure you can approach the employer with facts and statistics that back up your request and make it hard to say no.
Look At Adverts
The first thing to do is look at advertisements in your local area. These should be for jobs that are similar to yours. In some cases, the advert will give an indication of the wage the company is willing to pay. You can create a list of the highest wages, the lowest, and the average.
This will give you a guideline to go by and help you tell whether you are being paid an average wage, more, or less. If it’s more then you’ll find it hard to use this as a case.
But, if you are below average on the lower end of the scale, you can use this information to request a pay review and rise.
Talk To Colleagues
In the past colleagues didn’t generally share information about the wage they were earning. However, in recent years this has changed. It is becoming more acceptable to speak to colleagues and share what income the different people have. This can help you address any issues with fair play as you’ll be able to quote who is getting paid more than you but does the same or less.
Don’t forget that the level of responsibility and the amount of time someone has worked for a company can make a difference in what they are paid. However, this shouldn’t be a huge difference.
Equally, you should note that a higher level of education can make a colleague more suitable for promotion. But it doesn’t automatically mean they should be paid more. It’s all about the role they are currently doing.
Look At Job Duties & Descriptions
When talking to colleagues it is important to consider what duties each employee has and how they are described. While your search starts with employees doing a similar role, it is also important to look at employees in all departments.
For example, in a classic store, the customer service assistant may get paid more than the warehouse assistant. But, when you look at what they actually do, it’s not so different. This can be used to demand an increase in wages.
Use Online Salary Calculators
At first, your focus is on what others in your business earn. However, it is also important to look at the industry as a whole. You can visit any one of the salary checker sites to find out what someone in your area and your position should be earning.
This will help you get a clear idea of what is a fair wage for your role and whether you are getting more or less than this. If it’s less you’re going to need to start negotiating with the boss!
Check Government Wage Site
You may not know it but there is also a government website that looks at average wages for the country, specific regions, and industries. By taking a look at the site you’ll be able to decide if you are being paid the right amount or not and what you should do about it.
Negotiating The Pay Increase
Don’t assume that your employer is deliberately underpaying you. They may have simply increased your wage a little every year without realizing that this is keeping you below a fair wage.
It is best to put your thoughts and reasons onto paper and request a meeting. This allows your employer to be ready for the meeting and the two of you to have a reasonable discussion. In some cases, the employer would like to pay more but simply can’t.
If this is the case, you’ll need to see if there is any other way around the issue, perhaps by increasing your benefits or perks.
In some cases, an increase in pension contributions can help you feel you are getting a fair wage while minimizing the additional payment your employer needs to make.
