Manager refuses to give employee a $10K raise, hires less skilled employee to replace him for $15K more than his salary: 'What's the point?'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Writer and Editor
Jun 23, 2025 12:00 PM EDT

Hiring managers must make numerous vital decisions throughout the hiring process. It's not easy to find the perfect candidate, but when it comes down to a couple of options, there are high-stakes things to consider. Sometimes, the choice is between a younger, less experienced candidate who will ask for less money and an older, more experienced candidate who will ask for more money. There are pros and cons to taking on either option. The older candidate might be able to hit the ground running, providing instant results without having to be managed so closely by a superior. The younger candidate might not be as jaded, desperately wanting to prove themselves and their capabilities to their superiors in hopes of moving up the ranks sooner rather than later. You don't know exactly what you're going to get from an employee until you hire them and see them in action. You can only take an educated guess. 

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement

  • The manager in this story was willing to let their current employee leave without a fight because they thought he was too expensive. They thought the grass might be greener with somebody cheaper, but instead they hired someone more expensive than he ever was and less experienced. What kind of logic is that?

  • 01

    Manager refused to give me a 10k salary rise, but hired a less skilled employee for 15k more than my salary. What's the point?

    Hi, I have an office job. I'm very skilled at it and I'm in good terms with everyone in the office. Few months ago I had my annual performance review and I got a perfect score. So I asked a 10k salary rise. I was offered 3k (that is basically a salary deduction considering inflation). I refused
    via u/ThrowRAmiss04
  • 02
    Cheezburger Image 10520757760
    via Danny Ocean

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 03
    and gave my 2 weeks because I can actually find another low salary job (a job with the extra 10k will be hard, but one with my actual salary is nothing special). This week a coworker told me that they hired my replacement for 15k more than my salary. But he has not much experience, so he will have to spent several weeks in formation only. What's
    via u/ThrowRAmiss04
  • 04
    the point in letting me leave and hiring someone less experienced and at an higher salary? I could. understand if they hired someone very experienced or at a lower salary than mine, but this situation is no sense
    via u/ThrowRAmiss04
  • 05
    spiritfiend Your employer was bluffing and you called the bluff. They will have to pay more money and you win by not having to work for that a hole.
    via u/spiritfiend
  • 06
    WebHead1287 This is the answer. They 100% thought OP was lying and wouldn't leave. My current company does this now. Recently there has been an exodus and they'll start with the "we cant afford to give a raise" as soon as the two weeks go in they try and counteroffer, usually a huge raise but less than the person found, and still lose the talent.
    via u/WebHead1287
  • 07
    Its pretty funny to watch. They are de d sure their culture is so amazing that people should take less money to stay. Meanwhile their events only get like a 10% staff turnout and they're shocked.
    via u/WebHead1287
  • 08
    Edit: I also want to add one more tidbit. People at the top of the ladder do not realize how expensive talent is now. I am very close to upper management at my company while refusing to join. They are always shocked how much new. people cost. "Everyone is above industry average!". Yeah goobers, you're looking at old data and date for areas to live that are cheaper than ours.
    via u/WebHead1287
  • 09
    Pizza-love Not per se. Most people who say they will leave, won't. If you have 10 people asking for 10k, 9 won't leave. For the 10th, you hire a new one. Basically, this manager saved 85k. By denying OP a promotion/raise, the signal is clear to all others as well. If OP would have gotten that promotion, all others would have been at the managers desk again as well.
    via u/Pizza-love
  • 10
    As_Above_So_Beloe Great analysis of the sociopathic calculation of companies. Hopefully, more and more people start leaving without notice.
    via u/As_Above_So_Beloe
  • 11
    introitusawaitus You challenged their authority and they are intimidated that you know your worth. So now their only choice is to hire someone, even at a higher payscale, rather than to admit you were the best option. Keeping face is far too important than admitting a screw up.
    via u/introitusawaitus
  • 12
    Any_Nectarine_7806 Additionally, if anyone found out about a 10k raise the line to ask for more money would be out the door. Businesses exist to make money, not do what is right (which is exactly why they are detrimental to our overall well-being).
    via u/Any_Nectarine_7806
  • 13
    borguquin If they find out a less skilled workers is also making more than them the queue will be out the door and angry too
    via u/borguquin
  • 14
    SeraphymCrashing Yeah, this is exactly why I don't believe this was an action taken because it's in the best interest of the business... because even the most amoral business is going to recognize that paying an inexperienced worker more than the worker who left is either going to result in people demanding raises or leaving.
    via u/SeraphymCrashing
  • 15
    They denied the raise just like u/introitusawaitus said, because they were more interested in maintaining control even if that meant the business does worse.
    via u/SeraphymCrashing
  • 16
    Past-Cap-1889 Sure would be a shame if everybody found out.
    via u/Past-Cap-1889
  • 17
    Representative Mud509 This is so true. Owned my own business for 5 years. Doing the right thing gave my competition an advantage. Doing the right thing gave me debt for life. My moral compass led straight to the bread line. 1000% the key to business success is being dishonest and dicking over your employees too. I chose no to both and it cost me. capitalism too. F business & f
    via u/RepresentativeMud509
  • 18
    Repulsive_Zombie5129 I really don't get the whole ego trip with a lot of managers. Like some middle managers get personally offended when theyre wrong and would rather screw something up than just admit they were wrong (doesn't even have to be some big announcement thing), be understanding and remedy the issue.
    via u/Repulsive_Zombie5129
  • 19
    I really dislike my office job for this reason, the middle managers all seem this way. I don't know if i can last an entire career in office jobs. Yes they exist outside of office jobs too, but I feel like office middle managers smile in your face and lie a whole lot more than retail or healthcare at least.
    via u/Repulsive_Zombie5129
  • 20
    seanugengar Promotion nowadays, is finding a new job
    via u/seanugengar
  • 21
    ML1948 It's simple. If they rewarded loyalty, it would mean paying everyone who stays more money. By underpaying everyone who stays and only paying to attract new talent, they save money. This works because most people hate job searching and change. The companies exploit this. Loyalty is financially punished because on average it makes the company more money stiffing all their employees and rewarding "job-hoppers".
    via u/ML1948
  • 22
    armoredphoenix1 More money allocated towards recruiting than retention.
    via u/armoredphoenix1
  • 23
    justlookinaround20 I have seen so many companies do this. There's never money for retention, but they will always pay the new hire more. There is no reasoning with either. I've shown management the numbers for the lost productivity and costs to train and it still didn't matter. You can't fix stupid.
    via u/justlookinaround20

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Tags

management salary antiwork toxic-manager employee manager job work toxic-management toxic manager toxic-boss unskilled managers money working
Scroll Down For The Next Article