A reader shares their experience of having their promotion pulled after attempting to negotiate their salary at a small company in the UK.
Despite loving their job and receiving an email confirming the promotion, the reader found the salary increase that came with it to be significantly below market rates.
In a prepared salary discussion with their CEO, the reader presented achievements, market data, and outlined new responsibilities, but the CEO seemed resistant to increasing the salary.
The CEO attempted to downplay the promotion as merely a title change and eventually decided to revoke the promotion citing the reader's attempt to negotiate salary as the reason.
The reader sought advice on the situation from Ask a Manager, expressing feeling shattered and seeking understanding for their manager's actions.
The manager's handling of the situation is criticized, with emphasis on the lack of clear communication about any issues with the negotiation approach.
The article suggests that while internal promotions may not always align with market rates, there should be transparency and fairness in salary discussions.
It is recommended for the reader to approach their manager for clarity on the situation and to understand any concerns that led to the promotion being rescinded.
The importance of open communication and aligning expectations between the employee and manager in such situations is highlighted in the article.
Overall, the reader's experience serves as a cautionary tale about navigating promotion discussions and salary negotiations in the workplace.