Comments on: Make More Money at Your Day Job

By: Matt Wolfe

Matt Wolfe — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:19:34 +0000

Hank, I completely agree with you. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep the topic of a raise a taboo point. I guess asking what they’ve done for me is more of a question I ask myself. I occasionally verbalize the question but it is something I ask myself when I talk to employees.

The thing that really bothers me is the mentality that an employee isn’t going to do more unless they are going to make more. What’s even worse than that is the employee who slows down or does less because they think they deserve a raise. What sense does that make?

By: hank

hank — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:27:40 +0000

Funny – that’s similar to the post I just wrote yesterday about improving your position with your current position to make more $. But it’s true, I do the same thing and have people ask me for raises, but I don’t ask what they’ve done for me; I find that gets them on the defensive right away. I try to have monthly meetings with my people and let them know where they’re at and one of the key questions I ask is “Are you happy with your compensation?” They always respond with “I could use more”, and I then bring out the pre-made list of jobs they can take on.
From there, we can see where we’ve progressed in the next month. If it is above and beyond the tasks I’ve given them, I’m happy to give them a raise and happy to go to my management and lay these things out for them –

Communication is the key, early and often. Don’t let 5 or 6 months go by without discussing a raise. I don’t with my boss, and I encourage my people to do the same. Keep an open thread about it because it shouldn’t be a taboo thing, nor should it be a he said/she said battle. It’s not a bad thing if it is always up for discussion…

Good post!

By: Matt Wolfe

Matt Wolfe — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:45:49 +0000

Thanks for the comments! It is great when you can find good employees who understand that small businesses aren’t able to pay huge salaries unless the employee does something to justify that huge pay.

I do agree that inflation plays a part in the wages people make. I also believe that the wages people make is what causes inflation. If employees weren’t expecting to make more and more as time goes by employers wouldn’t have to constantly increase their payroll. When employers increase their payroll, they have to increase their prices to their customers. When companies continually raise their prices because employees want more money, this leads to inflation… It’s a vicious cycle.

Thanks for the comments!

By: Nabloid

Nabloid — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:03:14 +0000

I agree with most of what you said, except I believe everyone deserves to get raises that are in line with inflation… I don’t even consider those raises though… In fact, I consider it a pay decrease if you don’t get your salary adjusted for inflation. Other than that, I completely agree with you. I wonder if you have had time to tell the employee exactly what you wrote above?

By: Living Off Dividends

Living Off Dividends — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:32:04 +0000

great post!

By: dawn

dawn — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 04:30:53 +0000

Interesting post!
Attitude is key in this type of situation.
If a person works with a sense of entitlement rather than a sense of ambition, why would an employer want to give them a raise.
There can also be a sense of “me” against “them” between employees and employer.
A sense of loyalty is imperative from an employee, as well, if they are seeking pay increases.
It is so neat when you find good employees, because they can be few and far between.