First time poster, long time lurker.
I'm currently working in IT at a European company (American expat) and, as the title says, am currently experiencing what many of you have already commented on: “we are terrified to lose you, especially over something that we could resolve ourselves, however we will not pay you more, because cheap lol”
I've had quite a few exchanges with my boss that go as follows:
“the way we're doing x is inefficient, here is a better way to do it”
“yeah but that costs money”
“yeah well, it directly falls in line with our job, is vital to performing said job (hardware troubleshooting and repair) and helps us achieve the understandably high expectations that our clients have placed on us by entrusting us to repair their devices (some of these contracts are worth millions)”
“…yeah but like…money 🙁 but we do agree that you need to start doing the thing you're talking about. We will not provide the tools to do it with though. Is there any way you can do it without costing us money?”
“…no?”
“then don't do it…except do it. Somehow. Wait here's an idea!
“…this is stupid, I know it and you know it”
“yeah well…better than nothing lol”
“you do aware that 'better than nothing' is so-HOOOOOOO not the approach to have to this job right? I mean we're not working on the ISS or anything but like ???????”
“yeah but…the thing you said costs money so…idk haha”
In all fairness my boss does genuinely seem to understand my dilemma and arguments, it's just his boss is more along the lines many of us are familiar with, “do business while also cutting costs until you can keep things ticking along juuuuuuuuuust enough to get by, and then wall yourself in with a 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' defense when some noob tries to come in with ideas and plans, and if he raises enough Hell, give him the cheapest solution possible, and/or wait for him to either give up and do things my way, or quit”
Where it gets interesting is the last three times I've called in sick, someone from my job has called me worried about if I like the job or company…while I'm still sick. Like while I understand some people have totally called in sick to go to a job interview or trial shift, the last guy called me panicking and I had to call him with little to no voice (not COVID, just swollen throat, some viral something), which worked because it's like “bruh even if I was quitting, I can't exactly go to a job interview sounding like this, can I”. Which is chuckle-worthy in itself.
More than a few people have likened it to being with a partner that you're slowly but surely outgrowing, and they start getting more and more paranoid and insecure that you're going to leave them for someone else…and the other side of that, you really are outgrowing your partner. You realize more and more that they're lowkey trash. They know they're lowkey trash. This company legit has nothing more to offer me, that's why everyone who works here is either doing an apprenticeship and fucking off after 4-6 months, or is 40+ and content to just come here for a paycheck. Which hey, if that's your thing, cool, but I'm not going to be sitting in this chair a year from now. This is a dead-end job. I intend to make this job a career. You see the problem.
But then it became “we just don't want to lose you over something that we could resolve ourselves if you let us know”.
So I dropped my new favorite phrase: “salary renegotiation”. Money talks, right?
Cue the hemming and hawing and the mmmmmnot sure but mmmmmaybe we can see hmmmmwe'll discuss it later hmmmmmm bullshit. Because immigrant, I even heard the “in our country we don't really…it's more about doing a good job and supporting your team…but we understand…but like…we know that's an American thing but….” gem I literally laughed at. Like really? I ask about a raise and you dropping the Black Panther “We don't do that here” meme because I'm an expat?
Whatever. I'm not mad, and I have plenty of time and options with which to make a decision regarding this company and my career and what I intend to do if they really do decline to give me more monies, but for now, just wanted to tell someone. Thanks for reading.