How do you guys handle it when a relatively good employee asks for an outrageous raise? I just had a guy who is being paid $18/hour ask me to be paid $28/hour. He’s a decent worker, but really not particularly skilled at anything. I have much more skilled employees that make less than what he’s asking for. This person does mostly odd jobs throughout the business. He said he came up with that number because represents a 10% raise for each year he has been here, though the math clearly doesn’t work on that; he would be at less than $24/hour even if I had given him a 10% raise each year.
I agree he deserves a raise, but that amount is crazy. I can hire much more skilled and competent people at that rate. I’m somewhat indifferent to whether he stays or goes, but I don’t see him really quitting as he and my office manager are a couple, and they like to commute to work together. I can handle things if both of them quit. Life would be less fun for a bit, it’s not the end of the world. I don’t see any real scenario where they will be otherwise able to work together like they do now.
I expect a minimum of an annual 3% wage increase to cover average inflation. No raise means I’m looking for a new job.
Last year employer did 10% mid year and another 7% end of year because of the rampant inflation.
Honestly if I was only making $18 I’d be gone because the Aldi near me starts at $19.50 and they’re good to their staff (chairs for cashiers that sort of thing). That’s about as unskilled as you can get.
If this person can work unsupervised, uses power tools, that sort of thing—that’s not what I’d call unskilled. More variety of skills.
Oh, and this is in the Midwest so not some glamorous big city either.