I’ll try and make this short and sweet, but basically I had a business case raised by my direct manager a few months ago for a pay increase. This then needed to be approved by HER manager ( the manager who absolutely ripped me apart today ).
After the case was raised back in August, I enquired about the process and how long it would take to expect an answer. She gave me amazing reviews, said she’d get me a good pay rise and that it needs to go another level up for approval, and should take 2-3 weeks.
About 5 weeks passed so I asked her again where the process was sitting. She told me it was now out of her hands and was sitting with the national manager for approval and would keep me updated.
Keep in mind, everyone else in my team has received a pay increase this year except me, through this “business case” process.
It’s now been almost 3 months and I’ve been awaiting the outcome eagerly as it all seemed very positive and likely to happen. Last night I sent an email outlining the extra projects I’ve taken on, extra revenue I’ve brought to the company and the countless hours of overtime I’ve dedicated. It was a professional, well written email, and not hostile or demanding in any way. I sent this to the head manager who the case was sitting with because I assumed he’d be the correct person to ask.
This morning I told my direct manager that I had sent the email, and she told me I shouldn’t have done that as there’s a “chain of hierarchy”. I explained that I wasn’t aware I couldn’t communicate with higher management and that it made the most sense that I’d get an update from him since it was out of everyone else’s hands.
An hour later I was called into my managers managers office, my direct manager was there too. As soon as I walked into her office she screamed at me, that I had dragged her through the mud and sending an email to the head manager was completely unacceptable. I had to ask her multiple times to not raise her voice at me, as everyone in the office could hear her tearing me to shreds. She said she needed to do “damage control” now and I asked her how my email caused her damage, as that wasn’t my intention.
I could barely get a word in, she was red in the face and absolutely livid. I told her if this is how she treats employees then I don’t want to be a part of the company. She said “you can leave”.
I also told her I didn’t feel I did anything wrong by enquiring about the pay rise since it’s been months with no update. She told me she was taking the email and our meeting to HR.
Apparently now there are managers kicking off in the office about the email I sent. I’m dumbfounded. I copped verbal abuse and embarrassment. I ended up leaving for the day but I’m unsure what to do now.
Pretty sure I won’t be getting the pay rise, but it’s almost like “how dare middle management contact executives, how dare she”
The company is obviously toxic, but I just can’t believe the outburst and abuse I received over this. An investigation has started with HR but does anyone have any advice or have been through anything similar?
I’m starting to feel like she didn’t actually send the case through, there’s definitely something hidden under the rug in regards to this. Taking the rest of the week off to get my head straight.
Have never been spoken to by an adult like that before in my life, let alone in a professional environment. I’m really shaken up over this.