work she had done. Not the results she had delivered. Just that thing. She had already started to expect the answer would be no, but the way it was said still hit hard. Not because she did not get the increase, but because it feels like none of the effort mattered. A few weeks later, she hears something else. Other people in the team are getting salary increases. Some are being promoted. Some of them have been with the organisation for less time than she has. Some of them are earning more than she is. Significantly more. That is the moment the question changes. It is no longer, Why didn’t I get the increase? It becomes, How is this even possible? Most people assume there must be rules that stop this from happening. That if someone is doing more, achieving more, or bringing in more value, their pay must reflect that.
Employees can now talk about their pay if they choose, but that does not mean differences disappear. Which means situations like Leyla’s are not unusual.
In reality, the rules do not always work that way. Employers have to meet minimum pay requirements and follow workplace laws, but there is no general rule that says people doing similar work must be paid the same unless the difference breaks a specific law. There are rules about discrimination, and there are reporting requirements around pay gaps, but those rules usually look at patterns across an organisation, not what happens to one person in one team. Employees can now talk about their pay if they
choose, but that does not mean differences disappear. Which means situations like Leyla’s are not unusual. A role grows. Responsibilities increase. Results improve. But unless something forces the issue, the pay does not always move with it. From the outside, it looks like a prestigious organisation where everything must be fair. From the inside, it can feel very different. Sometimes, the people who hold the business together are the same ones still waiting for an answer about that thing they talked about.
04:05 I 19
ISSUE 22 GLOBAL PAYROLL MAGAZINE
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online