What to do when employees ask for a raise too soon?

An ambitious, energetic and value-creating employee is what any manager wants. However, when you receive a report that shows that your ambition and personal aspirations are far greater than their ability or experience, managing expectations is not easy at the moment.

Should you "persecute" employees who repeatedly demand salary increases, promotions or additional responsibilities while they are not ready and not "reach" enough to achieve that? What is the best way to help them set realistic goals? And what can you do without having to discourage your employees and worse, intend to quit?

What does the experts say?

As a manager, your goal is to keep your Team fit, effective, enthusiastic and happy. Easier said than done - especially when you face a colleague who is constantly aiming for opportunities to increase salaries and promotions.

According to Heidi Grant Halvorson - a sociological psychologist and author of "No One Understands You and What to Do About It" (no one understands you and what you need to do in that situation?) Then In order to manage such "too hungry" members, you need to have "a series of direct conversations with them and ask lots of questions". You have to clarify "the goal that the employee has set for himself and why he wants them". After that, you must "draw a picture of what needs to happen" before those things become reality, Joseph Weintraub - professor at Babson University and co-author of The Coaching Manager (roughly translated: Coach manager said: "You want this person to feel that you know their strengths and want them to succeed." So you need to:

transparent

When it comes to setting employee expectations, "a lot of information is always a good thing , " Halvorson said. You should do this often: "blunt conversations about the promotion path and a reasonable salary / bonus process" with the team members. Be sincere about the constraints of the organization. Explain to them that you have a limited budget while there are too many things to deal with. At the same time, step by step to set up meetings with the group and with each person so that "everyone understands that you are not trying to defend; you have to show everyone the same path" so everyone can opportunities are developed.

The important thing here is to talk openly about each other's career path and sharing them with your personal experiences is really helpful."It is not always a promotion that means vertical up. Sometimes it has to turn sideways in a certain direction," Weintraub said.

Accreditation (with advance notice)

When a talented employee is eager to get promoted, but in fact, he himself cannot afford to take on higher tasks, one of the things you can say is "I trust you" , Weintraub said. "The staff is always puzzled about how important they'll be to manage." and your confidence is the core.

However, "after you acknowledge their contributions" you must quickly say something uninteresting: "I feel you are not really ready now. The new position requires each person to have the Higher skills and standards Right now, we can discuss what you need to do to improve. "

Your tone and gestures should be positive, even if you find that your opponent initially seems frustrated and frustrated because you don't tell them what they want to hear. If they are passionate, your reaction will "fuel them to be ready to face new challenges," Halvorson said, "The message you want your employees to understand is " I can do it. that".

Train

The next step is training. Help employees understand the expertise, skills and experience they need to accumulate so they can get a raise or promotion - and let them know you're always ready to help them succeed, Halvorson hit. strong."Your message is, 'If you want to be put in that position, this is exactly what you need to do.'

If your reserved attitude comes from the fact that colleagues spend some time caring about the work of other departments, find ways to enable them to change this style of work. You can ask your employees to participate in "cross-fucntional" projects, volunteer or receive short-term tasks in other departments or participate in required company organizations. interaction with many people in different areas of the organization.

Halvorson suggested "propose various tasks" and allow employees to choose what they want to pursue. " When people feel they have a choice, they will work more efficiently and concentrate , " she explained. Make sure you "follow" them regularly throughout the training process. "Determine a specific time, a month or more so they know that you are seriously helping them , " Weintraub added.

Understanding

During the training process, try to grasp what employee motivation is. According to Halvorson, "This is really helpful for you to understand what will work for them . " Use open questions, like "What are you looking for?" What is important to you? "" If you don't do anything now, who will you be in a year? " . The answers to these questions will " help you understand that you can help "My staff, she said. " If the employee wants recognition, title, autonomy or more control, there are many ways you can "give" them without necessarily getting promoted. or increase bonuses ".

This answer will also help you create "elastic goals that can help employees get out of their comfort zones" , such as business travel, as a company representative to meet Remove and exchange work with a VIP customer or manage a small group. In this case, you can say "In fact, it takes a long time from now until you reach the goal. However, this will be another challenge you can prepare." sieve and shorten the time to achieve it ".

Consider fairness

Do not be too focused on ambition, tone or surrender to their needs too soon. If you do that, your credibility will be reduced and the rest of the team will have good reactions or thoughts about you - especially talented employees but do not require a raise. or promotion too soon.

According to Halvorson, "fairness is a very big problem." "Winning rewards for one person just because you can't overwhelm their voice is something no one wants. If you advance for someone when they're not ready, you're doing something that doesn't benefit people. It's like there's no benefit to the organization. "

Sincere

It is not easy to keep a straightforward attitude. However, "giving feedback is clearly a manager's job," Halvorson said, "you need to tell the truth and have a wise strategy to convey what you want to say."

Wientraub also agreed. When an employee asks for promotion "has inherent weaknesses" or if you don't believe they will take that special position, avoid making false promises or poor praise. . Instead, "boldly tell the truth" and propose "a real test". Be frank about the fact that the employee lacks certain leadership qualities, such as "The transformation of the job you're referring to is not what I see in you. However, this is The thing I see is that you have a lot of potential and let's find a way for you to achieve it. "

However, always remember, people can change."You are not a prophet that can predict the future." So, don't be too negative.

Clarify expectations when recruiting

Of course, the best way to control employee expectations is to clarify the promotion path when you start recruiting them."You need to make sure that new employees know how to be successful in the organization and have realistic goals before becoming official employees," Weintraub said. "Don't be surprised. Be really proactive," Halvorson added: "At least suggest a company's development plan, requirements and a roadmap for improvement. Thanks to that, you'll avoid a lot. Don't wait for someone to ask, "Why haven't I been promoted yet?" Be proactive so that every employee knows when they will have the opportunity to appoint a new role.

Principles to remember:

Please:

1. Talk openly and openly about the organization's promotion pathway to increase fairness among team members.
2. Encourage and recognize by acknowledging their dedication to the organization.
3. Train staff to help them gain the knowledge, skills and experience needed for the promotion process.

Don't:

1. Lie. If you are not confident they will take over the job, be brave to tell the truth.
2. Don't let their desires and desires overwhelm your mind. That is the way that will definitely make the trust of other employees reduce you the fastest.
3. Carefully consider the importance of clarifying expectations in the recruitment process. Explain to future employees how they can succeed in the organization.