A reader writes:
I work for a firm with about 30 staff. We used to have 5 folks in proprietor/administration roles and issues ran fairly effectively, however 4 left within the final 12 months largely due to the troublesome character of the remaining supervisor, Mo. Mo turned the only real proprietor however didn’t want to decide up the additional administration duties, so determined to distribute these to present staff with none change to our pay.
I solely work two days per week and keep at house with my children the remainder of the time, however the draft plan for who would decide up what work would have required about eight hours of labor unfold throughout the opposite three workdays. I’m unwilling and unable to afford three days of childcare for 3 kids to do unpaid work, and the work can be not one thing I want to do or could be good at (for instance, I used to be assigned accounting and payroll duties however I’ve recognized dyscalculia).
Mo made it clear that “volunteering” was a requirement of ongoing employment with the corporate. I reached out to my colleagues to talk my considerations in regards to the proposed modifications and ask whether or not anybody could be prepared to be part of me in elevating these points with Mo and advocating for ourselves. About half instructed me they had been involved too however would “see how it plays out,” whereas the opposite half didn’t reply.
I’m normally fairly passive, however I do know that I convey greater than my share of earnings into the enterprise and that it might not be laborious to go and work for myself if I had been fired. So I raised my considerations with Mo and negotiated for less than 4 additional hours of labor, all on one workday, with a 50% raise.
The ultimate checklist of job allocations was not too long ago launched to employees. It was very clear that I had a small variety of straightforward duties whereas others had a number of, time-intensive duties. Apparently, a few folks requested Mo for a raise at this level, however had been instructed that one worker had “taken” all the cash allotted for raises. People put two and two collectively and found out it was me, and that info unfold shortly by way of the corporate. Yesterday I arrived at my desk to discover a letter, signed by virtually all the opposite staff, asking that I volunteer for extra duties and decline the total raise so the cash will be distributed extra equitably. These folks didn’t assist me after I requested for his or her assist, and I risked my employment in speaking to our supervisor to get the rewards I received, so I really feel resentful that they want me to sacrifice to assist them now. However, I additionally suppose that taking up extra duties and fewer cash is the Right Thing To Do, in that it might be fairer. But then if I had to tackle many extra duties, I’d reasonably simply resign. But if I ignore their requests, I’d think about the office goes to turn into a fairly disagreeable place for me to work.
Do you suppose I’m proper to be resentful or ought to I make issues fairer? Do I reply to this letter? Will I have the opportunity to hold working right here if I ignore their requests? Is there any benefit to letting my supervisor know what’s occurring?
Wow, sure, you might be proper to be resentful. It’s not in any means cheap in your coworkers to ask you to turn down a raise or tackle extra work on days you aren’t paid to do work simply because they declined to be part of you in advocating for themselves if you initially proposed it.
To be clear, your coworkers are getting screwed they usually have a proper to be upset — however they’re getting screwed by Mo/the enterprise, not by you, and also you’re not obligated to sacrifice your pay or your free time to make up for the enterprise’s deficiencies.
(Also, for what it’s price, until the enterprise has a had a vital decline in income within the final 12 months, I’d be questioning whether or not there actually isn’t sufficient cash to pay them what their work is price, provided that 4 senior managers are not on the payroll.)
So, you might be proper on the precept of it.
Whether that can matter to your coworkers and the way nice it’s going to be for you to hold working there are totally different questions. But what about serving to your coworkers advocate for themselves? If you inform them that that is the one means you might hold the job and also you’re not ready to work further days or tackle extra hours with out being paid for them, however that you just want to assist them advocate for themselves as effectively — and then you definitely actually try this (which could possibly be something from telling them what you discovered efficient with Mo, to serving to them craft their case, to lending your voice to theirs once they speak to Mo, to ensuring they know the National Labor Relations Act protects staff’ proper to set up for higher wages and focus on working circumstances) … effectively, it would or won’t change how they really feel. But it’ll display that you just’re on their facet and may make it clearer that their beef ought to be with Mo, not with you.
Then give it a while to play out. You’re in a good place because you’re assured it wouldn’t be laborious for you to go away and work for your self. That means you possibly can afford each to assist your colleagues advocate for themselves and to go away when you in the end conclude it’s not a excellent place for you to work anymore.
But don’t again down in your pay or your hours. You negotiated the phrases beneath which you’re prepared to do the work, and also you shouldn’t compromise on that.
