Feeling Underpaid as a New HR Executive: How Can I Approach My Boss for a Raise?

Dear All, Six months ago, I joined as an HR Executive with a salary of 1.0 AM. Previously, the organization did not have an HR Executive. Now, I feel that I am working more than my salary, but as per company norms, there is no increment after six months. I have demonstrated my abilities in terms of HR activities.

Unfortunately, my boss is not willing to provide the increment. My problem now is that I am not satisfied with my salary. Could anyone please guide me on this matter? In the meantime, could someone also provide the gratuity calculations?

Regards,
Ashok
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Negotiating Pay Hikes in the Private Sector

Such issues do not have legal solutions. I do not think increments in the private sector are an annual ritual but are linked to performance. You need to negotiate your pay hike by skillfully presenting your case before the management. As an HR executive, you should know this.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Advisor
Mumbai

Dear Saikumar, I know that we do not have legal solutions. What I am feeling is that I am working more than my salary. I am asking for your suggestion on how to present my skills to get a salary hike in front of my HR Department.

Regards,
Ashok
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons].

Evaluating Your Right to a Pay Hike

What I understand is that you feel you are working harder than your salary deserves and thus need to be paid more. This is no doubt your opinion about yourself. Is this really so? For this, you need to look at more factors dispassionately. An employee's right to a pay hike depends upon various factors such as:

1. What is the role you are playing to secure organizational goals? Is it some routine kind of HR job you are doing? For example, doing some compilation job, etc. You may be working hard in this routine role, but it may not have a direct bearing on the organization.

2. How much value is being added by your role to the organization? For example, have you worked on something that helped the organization in cutting costs, etc.

3. Is there any reward system in your company? If there is no such system, then it is difficult to expect the company to reward a hard-working employee. It can leave an employee feeling unappreciated. If there is such a system, have you studied the system? If so, what kind of roles are being rewarded? Does your role fit into such a reward system? If not, have you taken any steps to change your role?

4. What is the pay package for your role in the market in similar industries as yours? Have you made any attempt to know? If you have, is it higher or lower than your current package?

You need to undertake such exercises before you position yourself to negotiate with the company for a hike.

These are all some clues given to you upon your request, and the negotiation is to be done by you.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Advisor
Mumbai

Dear Sai Kumar,

At the time of my interview, one of the HR Department employees told me the following things:

1. Take care of only leave cards, attendance, and recruitment.

You know I am taking care of 4 stores and a warehouse (each store having 10 to 12 employees and the warehouse having 46 employees). You just have to look into what I am currently handling in my present company:

1. Recruitment
2. Attendance
3. ESIC
4. Compliance
5. PT
6. Payroll

I do agree that the above roles come under HR scope, but the thing is I am handling 4 stores with a warehouse, so it requires traveling. Every day, I am traveling more than 100 KMs. Now, I do not have the patience to travel.

You know the showroom sales executives are getting 9000/- PM. Indeed, I require a hike and my boss is well aware that Ashok is doing the work, but he is not ready to give a hike.

Regards,
Ashok

Guidance for Handling Multiple Stores and Negotiating Salary

I understand that handling four stores is quite a task. In my opinion, what you need to do is seek an audience with your HR (or the authority competent to make compensation decisions) at a time that is favorable to you, i.e., during appraisals or whenever you have routine interactions with HR. Go fully prepared with all the details of your job profile and how your job adds value to the company. This means you need to explain:

• How your current job profile has gradually expanded but not your salary.
• In similarly placed companies, there would typically be at least two HR executives for this kind of job, and therefore, how you are saving costs for the company.
• Provide instances of how you have solved HR problems that emerged at some stores.
• Demonstrate instances of how you have met deadlines for submitting your compliances.

Gather all the strong information to support your case.

I also suggest that during your negotiation, you should not show any signs of dependency on this job. Therefore, consider searching for another job and have it ready so that you do not appear weak during negotiations.

Additionally, there are many retailers such as the Future Group, the Tata Group, Airtel, Unicellular, Unilever, Vodafone, and many other brands in garments and other consumer durables where you could try your hand. With this experience, you will likely secure a position in one of them. If your current company is unwilling to consider a salary increase despite all your efforts, it may not be the right place to stay. Consider a prudent change but avoid making a hasty decision. This means you should start looking for a new opportunity while continuing in your present job.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
Mumbai