TLDR: None of my team received as big of a raise as they deserve, how do I approach this with SMT?
I'm the head of a team of 10, a middle manager so have no influence on senior manager decisions.
Background: our pay framework has 4 'levels' in each grade – entry, market, market+ and market cap.
Several of us within my team were promoted last year into our current positions, and we had to start at 'entry' despite being on market+ for the previous grade so we ended up with very minor raises (£500) and a load more responsibility.
Several members of my team (including myself) applied for raises this year, and whilst we received a small raise (£1000-2000 each), this is not in line with our expectations (which was to go from entry to market level, roughly a 5-6k raise) and I have at least one (pretty invaluable) team member saying they feel so insulted they are looking for alternative jobs (which I'm fully supportive of!).
In the forms we had to submit to show what level we are working at, we have all clearly evidenced that we are working at market or market+ level, so to get a raise that basically keeps us on entry level feels insulting. The letter I received from HR literally said SMT are appreciative of the work I've done this year, including turning around a failing programme into a successful one. I don't understand how we can have achieved this and yet we aren't considered worthy of market level pay. My team also won an award at the staff awards last month because we have been performing so well (prize was basically a certificate and £20pp for lunch).
We also received 2.5% inflationary raises and two non-consolidated payments (ranging from £750-1k each payment depending on grade, with lower grades receiving higher amounts) to help with cost of living.
My entire team feels really demotivated by this and I am absolutely furious at SMT.
They have an appeal process but I think it's unlikely to change anything. I guess I'm just looking for general advice, what can I say to them to get them (SMT) to sit up and listen?
My team have worked so hard to turn this programme around and are so deserving. I've already said to one that they should work less hard because if they are only getting entry level pay they should be doing entry level work, not going above and beyond as they have been. If a few of them leave because of this, the programme won't get finished so it's actually a huge risk as well (it's due to finish in April '23).
Any other ideas on how I can make things better for my team outside of fighting for raises for them?
I'm super flexible about coming into the office (as much as I can be with SMT trying to enforce a 2 day/week in the office), I try and do fun activities often where we can do things together that aren't work related (but during work time), and I'm working with them all on personal development so their CVs are glowing and they're gaining skills.