Pay raises

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4x4

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Just looking for some input on how others base pay raises, how often they are given. Oh...and any good web sites that I can compare the wages we pay to other companies in our area.
 
I admire the fact that you are concerned about your pay scale. You might do a search for the IBEW local in your area, to find out what they have as scale.

IMO, I believe that raises should not be on a time schedule, but rather based upon merit. If you have somebody who makes themselves a hand, pulls their own weight and makes you money, then give 'em a raise. On the other hand, a guy not worth a raise is not much worth keeping.
 
Minuteman said:
IMO, I believe that raises should not be on a time schedule, but rather based upon merit. If you have somebody who makes themselves a hand, pulls their own weight and makes you money, then give 'em a raise. On the other hand, a guy not worth a raise is not much worth keeping.
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That seems to be the new trend, even with some of the fortune 500's are leaving the progressive pay raise system, and going to a merit pay, my guess is, in just a few more years, it will be hard to find a company paying progressive pay raises, most of them are laying off, and early out, for older employees, then if they do hire new employees they hire them under a merit pay system.
 
Thanks for the link.
I agree with the merit system not just because you have been there x amount of time. But I am sure you know that some employees talk and when one finds out another received a raise it can make them pretty upset.
We have a few guys that got a .50 raise about 3 months ago asking for another one, and the employees there less than 3 months asking also.
I don't want to take advantage of them but I don't want them to take advantage of me either. Sometimes I don't think they understand the cost of running a business and think we are making out with all the $$$ while they are doing all of the work.
 
Another thought not sure that it makes a difference. But alot of places around here the employees drive their vehicles to the job site. We provide a vehicle for some to drive home and others drive to our office and drive a company vehicle to job site.
 
I give raises when I feel they are justified. Sometimes I give 3 in a year to an employee, others will go over a year without one. No set amount. Sometimes 50 cents, other times 2 or 3 bucks.
 
I have no experience from a employer side of this, but coming as a employee that has worked in both merit and time based raise schedules, I like merit based. This shows if you are will to go get it, then you will get a raise, if not then you must be happy with where you are at.

Someone willing to work for something will have no problem with merit systems.
 
****Someone willing to work for something will have no problem with merit systems.****

That is very true.
 
4x4 said:
Another thought not sure that it makes a difference. But alot of places around here the employees drive their vehicles to the job site. We provide a vehicle for some to drive home and others drive to our office and drive a company vehicle to job site.
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It might be better to give them miles rather than a pay raise to drive to the job site, as miles are not generally taxable as income, so neither you nor the employee pay taxes on it.
 
I think that what ever the policy is on pay raises that it should be discussed at the interview. Every employee should be aware of the company policy. That way they don't bother asking after 2 months.

I don't think that raises should be automatic but I think there should be a sheduled review. Every three or six months for helpers. Maybe every year for journeymen. The employee should know why he is getting or not getting a raise. Praise or constructive criticism. Let the person know what areas they need to work on to be successful. This method has worked well for the military for many years.

One more thing. Records should be kept of performance. Number of days late, back late from lunch, unauthorized smoke breaks. Even things that are positive like keeps work area clean and atttended all night classes. People don't tend to remember the little things but when they find out that Santa Claus isn't the only one keeping a list it keeps them on their toes.
 
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I'm Not sure whos military you were in. But there was nothing like a merit raise or regular raise in the military I was in. I think the Merit system is the best, it is easy to tell if you are doing well, you get raises. If you are average then you don't. I worked for a guy long time back who gave me $5.25 in raises over the course of 8 months, there was a guy who worked with me from time to time and was complaining he was worth $X I told him to produce like he was worth $X and he would make $X but he said, "He is paying me $Y so he will get $Y work from me, when he pays me $X he will get $X work." needless to say he was fired a short time later. losers like that just like to ride on the backs of others to get ahead.
 
bikeindy said:
I'm Not sure whos military you were in. But there was nothing like a merit raise or regular raise in the military I was in.
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The military still offers promotion at regular intervals for those that meet the requirements. The first few are easy and latter on a little harder.
Promotion in the NCO grades is based on a piont system. This covers everything from job performance to education.

Why is this not a merit system?

The military has an anual pay raise and a time in service pay increase.

Why is this not a regular pay raise?

After six years in the army I was making 5 or 6 times the amount I money that I was paid on enlistment. So I'm sure there was a raise in there some place.

 
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bikeindy said:
there was a guy who worked with me from time to time and was complaining he was worth $X I told him to produce like he was worth $X and he would make $X but he said, "He is paying me $Y so he will get $Y work from me, when he pays me $X he will get $X work." needless to say he was fired a short time later. losers like that just like to ride on the backs of others to get ahead.
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Agreed. If I want $Z/hr, I have no problem proving I am worth it. I hear co-workers with that same attitude, and I tell them "I've been working here since '96, and I guarentee you will get that raise when you EARN it" and they actually get ANGRY!?! I just don't understand.
 
growler said:
The military still offers promotion at regular intervals for those that meet the requirements. The first few are easy and latter on a little harder.
Promotion in the NCO grades is based on a piont system. This covers everything from job performance to education.

Why is this not a merit system?

The military has an anual pay raise and a time in service pay increase.

Why is this not a regular pay raise?

After six years in the army I was making 5 or 6 times the amount I money that I was paid on enlistment. So I'm sure there was a raise in there some place.

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I don't see making rank as a merit raise, I was in the Air force where earning rank is the most difficult of all banches and in some ways you are rewarded for having a job that takes less skill and intelligents in the Air force because those jobs are easier to make rank in. As I am sure you know each branch has its own way of promoting. Time in service and annual pay adjustments for "cost of living" to me never matched what you actually give up in your life to be a member of what is most assuradly the most awesome fighting force man has ever know. those were not so much raises to me as they were money I should have had years before. I PCS'd 6 times in 6 years and was up for another at 9 1/2 so I discharged. Look I wouldn't say the military had a good plan at pay raises and if some one was offering me a job based on that system I would laugh in their face. Regular pay raises for the sake of a raise are demeaning to the ones who work the hardest and reward slackers. A true merit raise need nothing from an employer but to see that a person is doing great work and earns the wage they get. If you are working hard and making me money I compensate you. and If you go the extra mile I compenstae you the extra $$$ palin and simple. Stop busting your ass for awhile I will ask you why and if it continues I believe in pay reductions.

I started out at something like $640.00 Base pay in the AF there is NO WAY you were making 5 or 6 times that in 6 years in the Army I was making a little less than 3 times that in 9 years.
 
As an employee I would like to see a review or somthing every 6 months. That way I know what I need to do to get a raise. Things are slow in Fl and I am pretty sure giving raises is the last thing the boss is thinking of.
 
What ever happened to good work ethics lately? If you are a good worker and willing to show up for work all the time, then you should be given raises based on your work ethic, not on a time schedule! Too many people think they deserve raises when they really don't! I see it all the time.
 
bikeindy said:
I started out at something like $640.00 Base pay in the AF there is NO WAY you were making 5 or 6 times that in 6 years in the Army I was making a little less than 3 times that in 9 years.
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The largest raise in military history happened in 1976. Why you ask? They had ended the draft and they needed the pay raise to keep thier people. When I went in I was only making around $200.00 a month private E-1, six years later E-6 with the 6 years in service.
 
4x4 said:
Just looking for some input on how others base pay raises, how often they are given. Oh...and any good web sites that I can compare the wages we pay to other companies in our area.
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As an apprentice we get a dollar raise twice per year until we reach journeyman status.
Your local union hall will offer these numbers up freely.

Cost of living increases are based on yearly publishings of the banks in the area.
 
growler said:
The largest raise in military history happened in 1976. Why you ask? They had ended the draft and they needed the pay raise to keep thier people. When I went in I was only making around $200.00 a month private E-1, six years later E-6 with the 6 years in service.
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Well now that is a different story altogether, I almost add, Unless you went in in the mid 70's. see the new military pay scale here

http://www.militaryfactory.com/military_pay_scale.asp

And tell me you would work for that with the conditions those guys have to deal with. You can see the time in service and annual pay raise.
 
bikeindy said:
And tell me you would work for that with the conditions those guys have to deal with. You can see the time in service and annual pay raise.
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bikeindy, military pay has always been on the low side. I wasn't refering to the amount of the raise but the fact that you knew exactly what you needed to do to get to the next pay level. When I decided to leave the military I knew that I needed to change my MOS ( job ) and get a college degree ( get more civilian education points ) if I was going to level with any speed. I choose to leave just as you did.

All I suggested was that at regular times the employeer should give a raise review ( give the employee a little feed-back ). Let the employee know what you consider his strong and weak points. If you think that attending night classes would improve his job skills then tell him about it.

When a man ask for a raise it's normally because he thinks he deserves it for some reason. If you tell him he's not getting the raise because he's stupid and lazy then he will look for another job. If you give him a goal to shoot for then he may become a good worker.

If you can't hire good workers then you have to manufacture them and cloning is still illegal.
 
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