It’s that time of year. The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and year-end reviews salary negotiations are upon us at work. But with many workplaces facing the prospect of new salary freezes for existing employees, the prospects of significant raises are once again gloomy for 2012. What’s more, many workers feel uneasy big-ticket making demands of management in an environment still recovering from layoffs, meaning they leave reviews feeling uncompensated and even dejected. So much for holiday spirit!
But Stephanie Binetti, an executive director for tutoring firm IvySage might have found the answer in 2011. When planning her upcoming year, Binetti, who works remotely, approached the company about a problematic long-standing meeting. Could the 9:30 am meeting be pushed to 1:30 to accommodate her child’s nap? Her team conceded. “For the team this was easy and costless,” says CEO Michele Michaelis Slifka, “And for Stephanie it really helped to reduce her stress.” Both Binetti and the company ended the year on a high-note and had a much happier 2011 as a result.
Small ask, big reward. In science, it’s called the minimum effective dose—the smallest dose that will affect the desired outcome in an experiment. In the case of your career, we’re talking about happiness, job satisfaction and general well-being. And it just might be the answer to ending the year on a high note—and starting 2012 on the path to a happier, healthier, more motivated career.
“The review meeting has been a very one-way meeting for the past few years for individuals who feel—with good reason—that asking for a significant raise isn’t an option,” says David Lewis, president and CEO of OperationsInc, a human resources outsourcing and consulting firm. “We used to talk pre-2008 about going into a review prepared to make your case for an increase or a big enough bonus. These days the attitude is very yes sir, no sir, take what I can get.”
According to Tina Chen, VP of Operations at HR Outsourcing firm Employco USA, many job seekers are tied to the notion that monetary compensation from a salary is the only factor to consider. “What many employees fail to see is that there are many other benefits that hold “monetary value” outside of what’s directly reflected on a paycheck. Just because a company isn’t in a position to provide monetary increases doesn’t mean that they can’t offer other extras in its place. There are many small asks that can make the workplace more attractive.
While the state of things are admittedly less than ideal, Lewis concedes that it is possible to “find some small victory” in asks that are non-compensation oriented, but can have significant impact on your day-to-day or overall career goals. Anthony Morrison, vice president of Cachinko, a job-matching and online networking resource, agrees, and says the best approach to finding the right asks for you is to take advantage of the weeks leading into the holidays to reflect on the work you’ve done in 2011. “What kind of employee are you? How could you have done better? Where do you want to head in 2012? Take in those questions and you’ll find the best ‘small ask’ for you.”
“Flexible scheduling is a good one,” says Lewis, but stresses to be careful if your position is more task-oriented than strictly nine-to-five. In other words, don’t ask to come in at ten and leave promptly at six. “Best to leave the end time off of the ask,” he says, and consider the working schedules of higher ups. “Your arrival and departure times could take you out of the office when higher ups get most of their thinking and meetings done, leaving you on the outside looking in.”
In a best-case scenario your manager has his eyes on career development, but often forward-thinking or succession planning isn’t a priority for managers who are blinded by day-to-day tasks. “Every review has a component of goals and objectives,” Lewis says. Use the opportunity to ask for a formal plan of development, whether through mentorship, involvement in bigger projects or another path to advancement.
“You may be uncomfortable initiating the conversation,” Lewis says, “But suggest steps. Say ‘Next year at this time I want to be in a better position to be promoted. I’d like to find ways to achieve that goal.’” Instead of asking the question, make the suggestion, he says. “Go in with a plan on that basis, it can and will potentially expand your horizon within the company and beyond.”
Formal training, mentorship or inclusion in projects can help to bridge the gap between where you are in your career and where you want to be, but they also have another advantage when discussed in a review setting: they are mutually beneficial for you and the company. “The best small asks you can pick are those that help everyone, not just you,” says Morrison. “Will an hour of flex time make you more productive? Cab a more relaxed schedule ensure that your attendance record is better?” Presenting both the ask and the reward as good for the company can be key in getting a positive response.
Of course, you could get shut down. Making a minor request and being denied can be a blow, says Lewis, but for a lot of people, it can be an important turning point in their career. “This can prove a serious fork in the road for an employee to decide how angry they really are in terms of working longer hours with no raises for a company who seems to be taking advantage of its workers,” he says. If you get stiff-armed over something like career advancement or flexibility, it might hurt to know, he says, “but at least you know. It certainly takes the mystery out of your value to the company.”
But even if your request is met with positive news—and your manager makes promises to meet them in 2012, Lewis adds that no rewards will be seen without follow up. Especially when it comes to mentoring or increased project assignments or involvement he says. “It’s one thing to put out there at the review, but [after the fact] you have to walk the fine line of persistence and pain-in-the ass to see results,” he says, then pauses. “But you probably want to lean towards pain-in-the-ass.
======Meghan Casserly=====
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