A boss and an employee sit at a table with coffee cups, a laptop, and notebooks, discussing something. Licensed media provided as editorial context.
An employee was taken aside by the company vice president and told that he would be promoted to a senior team leader. This meant he would be responsible for at least four people, but they were not going to offer a pay rise, as compensation reviews were currently frozen.
Without extra pay, the employee didn't want the role. He rejected the offer, upsetting his superior. He was already facing the consequences of it at work, which left him wondering how to proceed in the situation.
A boss and employee look at a laptop on a table with papers and coffee cups. Not actual story subjects.
Is it wrong to refuse a "promotion" that comes with four direct reports and zero pay bump?
Last Tuesday my vice president called me into a meeting to announce that I was being elevated to "Senior Team Lead." He went on and on about how much they value my leadership and presented me with a list of four direct reports I would be managing starting next month.
When I asked what the adjusted salary band for this new title looked like, he chuckled and said compensation reviews were frozen until Q4, but this would look "phenominal for my internal resume." I politely smiled and told him that while I appreciated the gesture, I would decline the title change and stick to my current individual contributor duties until budget opened up.
A boss and employee discuss something at a table with papers, a laptop, and coffee cups. Actor performance of story events.
you would have thought I set the building on fire. He turned red, went silent, and told me that turning down added responsibility shows a "disturbing lack of ambition and loyalty."
Since then HR has scheduled two separate meetings to talk about my "team alignment," and my manager is giving me the cold shoulder. Am I actually ruining my reputation here, or is management completely out of line?
A boss and an employee sit at a table, looking at their phones. Recreated scenario included to enhance reader understanding.
Management is out of touch here. It does sound like your reputation within the company may be unfairly damaged, but the fact that they were so shocked about you wanting more money for accepting more responsibility sounds like it’s a ****** work culture. Not to mention, your boss sounds like a manipulative *ss.
Management is completely out of line here. They wanted to give you managerial headaches and accountability for zero extra dollars. The fact that HR is scheduling alignment meetings proves they are mad their trick failed. Do not back down and start applying elsewhere quietly.
More work without more pay is a pay cut.
They are out of line but here’s what you should do:
Take the promotion (if it’s still on the table) and use your new title to get a new job as a Team Lead with the appropriate salary at a different company.
People who switch companies periodically throughout their careers make significantly more money than those who try to stay put and be “loyal.” This is why. Companies do NOT want to pay you more if they’ve already got you on the hook, but they HAVE to pay more if they hire from outside.
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