Your role as an employee for a company you love (or maybe don’t) is not about you. At least, it’s not from the company’s perspective, and it shouldn’t be.
You are about you, and you should be.
No matter how ‘employee first’ a good organization is, it prioritizes the company, not the employee. That’s the way it should be. There’s payroll, invoices, and investments to consider. The company must think of the company first to have a company for its employees to work for. Plain and simple.
So why do so many people take company decisions so personally? Let me expand through a couple of scenarios.
Everybody’s got something – Take control
If a significant pay increase is felt to be necessary, take action. If the company disagrees, consider a mindset shift. Instead of being a victim of circumstances, look at the choices available and focus on what can be controlled.
For example, Peter has multiple mortgages to pay. One house is his home where he lives with his family. The other three houses are rental property investments. Peter is upset that his boss only gave him a cost-of-living raise. What should Peter do?
- Complain about how he has bills to pay to all his friends and coworkers?
- Consider selling one of his houses so he has less bills to pay?
- Get a second job to make up for the gap?
- Look for a higher paying job?
- Accept the increase and create a tighter budget?
The multiple-choice question is hypothetical. The point is that Peter doesn’t have to suffer due to something out of his control. There are other options. If his place of employment doesn’t think the job he’s doing warrants a significant pay increase or they simply can’t afford to give him more, he can’t expect them to. The decisions he makes in his life outside of work do not justify additional pay from the company.
Everybody’s got something – Kill comparison
Employees want equal and transparent pay but tend to forget that all things are not equal.
For example, Debra has been a Business Analyst at the same company for ten years. She loves her job and has become increasingly efficient for the duration of her tenure.
Rob was recently hired as another Business Analyst. He graduated from college one year ago and this is his first post-college job. After a few months on the job Rob accidentally found out that Debra makes more money than he does. He was beside himself with anger!
What are Rob’s options?
- Complain to everyone that he is doing the same job as Debra and making thousands less?
- Talk to his manager to get a better understanding of his career path and what that means monetarily?
- Act resentful towards Debra?
- Quit?
- Look for a higher paying job, and then quit?
- Seek to understand, learn the job, show the company his value, then ask for more money?
Another hypothetical, but often times when looking at salaries you’re comparing apples to oranges. Different tenure, different positions, different certifications or credentials all can be worth more or less to the company. Sometimes all it takes is a discussion with HR or your boss. This discussion can help you find out how to get higher pay. Then, you must do the work to achieve it. Nothing is for nothing. The very least you can do is ask and advocate for yourself.
If someone has a job like yours and is driving a brand-new Cadillac, don’t assume they make more money than you! No two people have the same life circumstances, and everyone prioritizes where their money goes differently.
Everybody’s got something – Know your worth
And finally, don’t let anyone or anything define your worth. If your salary makes it hard to make ends meet, it doesn’t define your worth as a person. You are a priceless friend, child, parent, role model, cousin, sister, brother, coworker, spouse, pet caretaker, and more.
“Value is something people feel, not something we tell them they get.” Simon Sinek
Perfect Dysfunction 