How Can I Help My Friend Address Her Unfair Salary Increment Issue?

Dear Seniors, I am seeking advice on how to draft an effective letter to address an issue where a friend received a smaller increment compared to others, despite her outstanding performance. Please help.

Hi, instead of writing a letter to the boss regarding these issues, I believe your friend should speak to her boss or senior directly in a nice and wise way. Writing a letter might not be the best approach, and by having a direct conversation about this topic, she can get the answers she needs to understand why she was not appraised despite being a good performer.

Secondly, I request you to ask your friend to come and share more about it directly with us so that we can better understand the case and help her in this regard.

Regards

We understand that she knows her performance rating is outstanding, which means her Head of Department (HOD) might have informed her while assessing, or she is presuming. Normally, these things happen where performance management exists without a proper procedure, and Key Result Areas (KRAs) are not established at the beginning of the year and are not reviewed periodically by the HOD.

Performance Management System

In a proper Performance Management system, there is a clause that allows aggrieved employees to make a representation and outlines the procedure for doing so. In the case of representation, she should be able to provide supporting data for her work throughout the year, such as achievements, savings, improvements made, etc. These aspects vary depending on the position. In such a scenario, she has every right to make a representation; otherwise, she should meet with the HOD to seek guidance in support of her case.

Regards,
Patrudu

I agree that this is not the forum for effective letter writing. Instead, could you ask her to present her views on why she should be considered for a reasonable increment?

Appreciate and validate.

Regards,
D. Kumar

Dear Sheeads, Happiness and the quantum of increment are always issues. Your friend is not happy about the increment she received. What were her expectations? Are the rating and increment amount linked, or is it linked to market data? You know there are many questions on increments, and frankly speaking, you will find many more people who are never happy with their increment quantum.

Factors Affecting Increment

Boss, this all depends on the company's profitability, budget for the increment, and most importantly, the company's policy, of which today no one is aware. However, keeping things in writing can be dangerous for the future of an individual. These things should be settled across the table while receiving the increment letter or immediately after that. She can talk to her boss, boss's boss, and understand why she received a lesser increment compared to others. If she is not happy with the reasons, she can always look for a different assignment.

Hope this clarifies.

Thanks & regards,

Ravindra Chaubal

Sr. Manager - HR

[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]

Dear Seniors, One of my friends received a smaller increment compared to others, despite her outstanding performance. How can I effectively write a letter to the management and her boss? Please help.

Appraisal Participation

Did she appear for an appraisal? If she did, she must have accepted the feedback from her Head of Department by signing the appraisal. If she did not participate in any appraisal or if the company does not have an appraisal system, she can approach her reporting manager to identify the areas she needs to improve on. I am confident that the reporting manager will be willing to assist her.

Kind regards

Addressing Salary Increment Concerns

Increments regarding salary are something many of us feel are low from time to time. As already suggested, it is advisable to speak to the person to whom she reports. With an assertive attitude, when her point of view is explained, she will be able to make an informed decision about how to perform in her job in the future. This conversation is crucial to ensure she does not dwell on negative thoughts unnecessarily, as such negativity can impact her performance.

Before engaging in such a conversation, let her make a checklist of points such as "Why am I doing this?" and "Is this necessary?" If the answers received are not encouraging, what will my next course of action be?

It is pertinent to keep it formal and polite throughout.