What would you think if you just got a 2% salary raise?

[Cornholio 0]

Yah, just got pulled into my boss's office and told I get a 2% raise. Yippee! or.. WTF?

Personally, I'm insulted. But I'll take it.

Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast!
Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool!
bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump

[skydiver30960 0]

This year, take anything you get and be thankful. Many many many folks are getting nothing, or worse.

Elvisio "got a little raise, but that was from my wife" Rodriguez

[PhreeZone 15]

I haven't seen a raise in a few years at work, I would be thrilled if I got even 1% offered to me.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Southern_Man 0]

I didn't get a raise last year. Don't think I'm going to get one this year, either.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[NWFlyer 2]

Exactly what I got this year... it wasn't thrilling, but it's better than last year's which was under half of a percent.

These days ... it's not half bad.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[linus2270 0]

That's great! A lot of people these days get:
nothing
pay-cut
laid off.

[VTmotoMike08 0]

2% is a general cost of living adjustment for an average worker in a good year. This year, anyone is lucky to get anything so you are particularly fortunate to get that- either business is good or you are particularly valuable. Take it and be happy.

[Thanatos340 1]

In this economy?? I would be ecstatic.

I have not had a salary increase in 3 years. In fact all employees and myself took about a 20% pay cut last year in hopes that we could keep the company afloat until things turned around. Fortunately it looks like it might have paid off as this year has been pretty strong so far.

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

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I didn't get a raise last year. Don't think I'm going to get one this year, either.

Me too.

Or is it me neither?

Whatever it is I didn't see a pay rate raise.

And I get paid by the mile.
With the economy in the toilet, I was down about 20% in miles last year. Which is a 20% pay cut.

Oh, well. At least I still have a job, unlike millions of others.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[Snowwhite 0]

I'm glad to be working a decent amount again, at the wage I was earning 2 years ago. I'd take a raise as any kind as a terrific vote of confidence by my employer. This has bee a terrible economy, and in our area of the country, unemployment has been this high since 1982 when International Harverster and Case closed their plants here.
Be happy, it means things are turning around. A little bit, but at least turning around!

skydiveTaylorville.org
[email protected]

[Cornholio 0]

Thanks guys, you really made me look at this in a different light.

I am grateful, just took things for granted and didn't look at the bigger picture.

Again, keep the comments coming, they really make me feel like such a jerk for thinking that way.

Butthead: Whoa! Burritos for breakfast!
Beavis: Yeah! Yeah! Cool!
bellyflier on the dz.com hybrid record jump

[SansSuit 1]

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Again, keep the comments coming, they really make me feel like such a jerk for thinking that way.

18 unpaid furlough days this year. And that is before they hit us up with the give-back contract. Higher health insurance premiums, reduced pension, and different OT rules to reduce the amount of OT.

Oh yeah, I work for the county.

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[JohnRich 4]

That depends:
How well is the company doing?
How much are your peers getting?
How much do you deserve?

[JohnMitchell 14]

My pay was frozen by Congress for 3 years. I just got my first raise since this last January. I'm happy.

[JohnDeere 0]

My company made 1/3 of what it did 3 years ago......sounds like your doing ok!

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[dgskydive 0]

that is huge. In this economy, keeping your job is the new "raise". You just got a BIG bonus

Dom

[ChileRelleno 0]

Damned lucky... Job + Raise

I'm feeling blessed, $300. Christmas Bonus, $1000. Safety Bonus and a 3% Raise on my salary.
That was with our Branch Office/Warehouse taking close to a -20% hit under the previous year's bottom line.

Corporate said, "It was promised to you, your getting it."

However, we cut three positions and everyone is now working their collective ass off

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[SivaGanesha 2]

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that is huge. In this economy, keeping your job is the new "raise". You just got a BIG bonus

My personal view is that while giving no raise at all would be understandable in today's economy, giving a 2% raise is in fact insulting. I know that sounds contradictory but the message that comes across from the two actions is very different.

Giving no raise at all sends the message that, hey, the company still struggling and simply cannot even think about raises this year.

Giving a 2% raise sends the message that the company is doing well enough to give raises, thought long and hard about what this particular employee is worth, and decided he/she was worth only a 2% raise. Definitely a big slap in the face. Be glad you still have a job but be even gladder when you find another one and can kiss these folks goodbye.

Giving no raise is a commentary on the economy as a whole; giving a tiny raise is a commentary on what this specific company thinks of this particular employee.

Think of it as being like tipping a skydiving instructor. If a student gives no tip at all this is understandable because lots of people feel that tipping is very optional in this sport. But if the student gives an insultingly small tip--let's say 50 cents or something--it sends a message of displeasure with the service that wouldn't be sent if no tip at all was given.

"It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014

[silent_pumpkin 0]

Is this the first raise with your present company and you're used to bigger raises or just expected something bigger this year?

Average for my company was 2.5% - in my department the slackers got 1-2% and the worker bees got 3-3.5%. I'll take it with this economy and just the fact I have a job that doesn't suck and can pay my bills, save, and skydive

[Bolas 5]

Raises have little to do with how well a company is doing and more to do with the job market.

If there are lots of job opportunities in a field, they'll pay more and give better benefits so people won't leave as it may be hard to replace them.

Right now, jobs are scarce, they know they can not give raises, bonuses, cut pay, slash benefits, etc. and people are most likely not going to go elsewhere because they can't.
Edited to add: If someone did leave they could probably find a replacement easily and perhaps for much less than the previous person was making.

Some of the companies doing this are indeed struggling, others are just not because they don't have to.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[iluvtofly 0]

The largest raise I've ever gotten was 15 cents.

[blacklabjumper 0]

I got my first raise in ywo years this year. It was 2% and i was glad to get that. I have fiends you have lost their job and on the verge of losing their house and everything. These are rough times and I am more than grateful for a job. If they told me to stand on the side walk in a chicken suit holding sign I wouldn't hesitate. Pride and ego don't pay the bills.

Rodriguez Brother #1626
Dudiest Skydiver #1962
DPH #-2

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Yah, just got pulled into my boss's office and told I get a 2% raise. Yippee! or.. WTF?

Personally, I'm insulted. But I'll take it.

Depends what other people are getting. If that's what the company is doing for good employees in this poor economy I'd take it. In general salaries are decreasing, companies don't need to pay more to retain employees, and something in that environment is better than nothing.

If other people who accomplish less and work fewer hours got a bigger percentage I'd be ticked.

[hofstar 0]

I guess it would depend on why I was getting it in the first place. If it was a change of roles and responsibilities, then yeah that's not a huge increase. But if it's just because you've been doing your job, then there's nothing to complain about. Base pay increases are more valuable than they might seem at face value. It might be, say, $1000/year which might not sound like a whole lot, but that's $1000/year every year.

If nothing else, you could just up your retirement contribution 2% and not notice a difference day to day....depending on how young you are that 2% could compound over time and add up significantly

[Shell666 0]

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Yah, just got pulled into my boss's office and told I get a 2% raise. Yippee! or.. WTF?

Personally, I'm insulted. But I'll take it.

You got a raise. Be happy.

I've been in the same job for 20 years. In Canada. In Alberta. At a University. With a union. The province with money. I took a 5% pay cut in the 90's. For 5 years. When times were tough, I stuck it out. I loved my job (and still do!) and the alternative was NO JOB!!

SIUCC. You were given a RAISE. And you have JOB!!!

If you don't like it, leave ... you DO have a choice.

'Shell