As People Ops professionals and managers, we frequently find ourselves in sensitive situations. Among the most challenging is navigating an employee's request for a raise when, objectively, it isn't justified. This isn't about being an unfair manager; it's about ensuring fairness, maintaining team equity, and making decisions based on data. A recent Reddit post from a manager clearly highlights this predicament:
"This direct report is not one of them. Our team had very uneven workloads... This specific report had the lowest volume of work on the team but was still getting paid similarly to the highest volume worker. After some leadership changes, we went through the process of reorganizing the workloads so everyone had even numbers... But this underworked employee who now has the same workload as everyone else, believes he deserves a raise for having 'more work than others'."
The manager's predicament is clear: how can you communicate the reality of past underperformance and current equitable workload without demotivating the employee or appearing accusatory? The answer lies in combining objective data, transparent communication, and a focus on future growth.
The Uneven Playing Field: Understanding the Root Cause
The scenario described is more common than many realize. Historical inequities in workload distribution often create a distorted perception of individual contribution. When a team's workload is rebalanced, those previously underworked might experience an increase in tasks and genuinely feel they are doing 'more' work, even if it only brings them
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