Employee works 7 days/week from January to June, is denied a raise at the end of the year: 'Effectively, I will lose money this year to inflation'

This worker gave all their time to help their company, only to learn that they wouldn't be rewarded for it. 

When you give your all to something, you probably want something in return. We're taught that hard work will yield good results, so we spend our lives in pursuit of that goal. We go above and beyond at our jobs in hopes of making a good impression and boosting our careers in the process. We put in an extra hour or two here and there because we know that it will help us in the long run. Lots of us make short-term sacrifices in order to have long-term success. We do this every time we say no to something fun, like a party, because we know that sleep is better for us in the long run. We do this every time we wake up early to get a head start on work, even though you would rather stay in bed. Part of being an adult is balancing which sacrifices are worth it and which ones aren't. 

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  • A young woman sits frustrated at her desk.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • When it comes to work, the difference between a sacrifice worth making and a sacrifice that will lead nowhere is hard to define. You don't always know whether your hard work is going to be rewarded at the end of the day, or if it will just go unnoticed. Sometimes when you work too hard, the expectations of everyone around you will simply rise. They're used to you working hard, so they won't reward you for it. That's what happened to this employee, to an insane degree. In order to help get a project off the ground, they worked every day for six months. That's right, every day. No days off, not even a weekend, all the way from January to June. But they were comfortable doing that because they thought it might help their career in the long run. They thought it might give them the leverage. They need to ask for more money by the end of the year. But they learn the hard way that hard work doesn't always yield good results in turn. Their employer left them a lurch, regretting all of the hard work they put in. Keep scrolling to read what happened in the story.

  • "There's no room in the budget for raises or bonuses this year," Or why you should always give the bare minimum.

    For the last 3 years, I worked mandatory overtime for a major project at work, typically in order to address time-critical tasks. This period typically would be two or three months at most. Last year, they ramped up production efforts and as a result, I worked every single day from January to June. Every single day for six months with no days off.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • I worked early mornings, I worked nights, I worked weekends, when the phone rang, etc. As a result, the project was a major success for the company. I made a decent amount of money as an hourly associate but was extremely burnt out at the end. I was planning to use this experience to leverage a request for a pay raise.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • However, at Year End Review, I was told that due to mismanagement of other aspects of the business, there would be no bonuses or raises for 2026 - not even a cost of living adjustment. Despite working for six months straight and taking on extra responsibilities. Effectively, I will lose money this year to inflation.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • When I mentioned my workload and how I felt I deserved a raise for all the time I put in, I was told that there was no room in the budget and that no one else was getting a raise or a bonus either.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • I used to love my job, but now I've started looking for something new. If I work this entire year and it's another bad year for the company, I can't do two years in a row without a bonus or a raise. This was a solid reminder of something I'd forgotten along the way - don't give more than the bare minimum. Hard work will go unrewarded.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • A frustrated young employee sits at her desk with her head in her hands
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Commenters gave their sympathies and advice.

    thegloracle Did you at least get paid for overtime during the projects? If not, dig up your employment contract and have a quick chat with your local Labour Relations office to see if you are owed for that time. $$$
    via u/thegloracle
  • DarthLightside Original Poster's Reply I was paid for the overtime | worked, yes.
    via u/DarthLightside
  • Icy_Alarm_8520 Another year? That seems like a lot to offer without a written contract on bonuses, for going above and beyond. Half a year with no days off is so crazy far above and beyond, either the ship is sinking due to said mismanegment or they simply dont deserve you. All the best and good luck.
    via u/Icy_Alarm_8520
  • whitetrashqueer I would strongly suspect the company is lying to you. That's a shitty situation, OP. I hope you land a better role soon.
    via u/whitetrashqueer
  • JoffreeBaratheon Management POV: If you're already working that hard now, what's the point of giving you a raise?
    via u/JoffreeBaratheon
  • v1rojon Once they take bonuses and raises away, it's RARE they come back and they do, it is a small percentage of what they used to be. They will expect you to be happy with 1-2% a year. You know who still got bonuses this year? All of leadership.
    via u/v1rojon
  • redditusername_17 The key thing to realize is that if you have to do something crazy like work everyday for 6 months, that is a huge glaring red flag that something is being mis-managed at multiple levels.
    via u/redditusername_17
  • randolotapus I bet you'll get a raise at the next place
    via u/randolotapus
  • ConversationHead5883 Yep, don't expect a raise for doing anything really. Just go to work, get it done, and leave.
    via u/ConversationHead5883
  • MetalHeadJoe I personally would never go more than 10 days straight. That's insane that you didn't get a raise. I'd suggest using all your PTO to find a new job, then just don't even show up afterwards once the PTO is all used up.
    via u/MetalHeadJoe
  • Snoo-74562 a major success for the company and theres no room in the budget for you. You know they are full of it. Get a new job elsewhere
    via u/Snoo-74562

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