So, according to the company I work for I'm not entitled to a raise even after multiple years of service. We operate based on the minimum standard of employment plus 5 days of sick leave a year. But, get this... I am supposed to convince staff and bring moral up by selling them garbage about how great of a company we are to our employees!
Now, a bit of background... I have worked here for a couple years, in that time I have received a 0.05% raise in salary (Side note: I only got that 0.05% because I had another job offer to make 0.1% more and was seriously considering taking the position). Now the average wage increase for the newer employee's at their three month probation mark has been between 0.1%-0.15%. In the beginning of my employment it was just me here so I have worked all kinds of unpaid overtime just to get a job done or been on call which really isn't part of my job description. I have come into the office on short notice on Stat holidays or during my vacation time (which I have only taken 8 days in two years); I have even come to the office at 3AM in -35 weather and still come back in the office in the morning on time. Also, I never received a raise at the end of my probation... I didn't even have benefits until over one year of employment.
My question remains, how do I sell garbage to intelligent people? I'm not a sales person. Not in the least. To make it more difficult, I have been researching the top companies not only in our area, but country and the world. Finding out what makes them so great benefit wise, pensions employee recognition programs etc... The sad thing is as a small growing company really it would be unrealistic financially to try and compete with the larger companies, at least until we have gained some ground on our current projects. However, some of the very simple and free things we could be doing are viewed as "corny" or a "waste of time" by Management. These very simple things can include offering staff flexible working hours as long as productivity and job completion are tracked and proven. Or removing our very humiliating late form from operations where an employee who wants time off or is late for work must fill out and have approved as if a child late for school. I'm not saying there doesn't need to be a way of tracking such things, but I really don't think the reason description needs to be there or should have any bearing on the decisions made by management. How do you sell something you don't believe in? How do you convince your staff not to seek other opportunities when you yourself are extensively searching for something else? Any ideas?
Now, a bit of background... I have worked here for a couple years, in that time I have received a 0.05% raise in salary (Side note: I only got that 0.05% because I had another job offer to make 0.1% more and was seriously considering taking the position). Now the average wage increase for the newer employee's at their three month probation mark has been between 0.1%-0.15%. In the beginning of my employment it was just me here so I have worked all kinds of unpaid overtime just to get a job done or been on call which really isn't part of my job description. I have come into the office on short notice on Stat holidays or during my vacation time (which I have only taken 8 days in two years); I have even come to the office at 3AM in -35 weather and still come back in the office in the morning on time. Also, I never received a raise at the end of my probation... I didn't even have benefits until over one year of employment.
My question remains, how do I sell garbage to intelligent people? I'm not a sales person. Not in the least. To make it more difficult, I have been researching the top companies not only in our area, but country and the world. Finding out what makes them so great benefit wise, pensions employee recognition programs etc... The sad thing is as a small growing company really it would be unrealistic financially to try and compete with the larger companies, at least until we have gained some ground on our current projects. However, some of the very simple and free things we could be doing are viewed as "corny" or a "waste of time" by Management. These very simple things can include offering staff flexible working hours as long as productivity and job completion are tracked and proven. Or removing our very humiliating late form from operations where an employee who wants time off or is late for work must fill out and have approved as if a child late for school. I'm not saying there doesn't need to be a way of tracking such things, but I really don't think the reason description needs to be there or should have any bearing on the decisions made by management. How do you sell something you don't believe in? How do you convince your staff not to seek other opportunities when you yourself are extensively searching for something else? Any ideas?
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