Signs You Aren’t Being Paid Enough at Work

Summary: Knowing that you are being underpaid can be difficult, so follow these tips to know if that is your case and then take action.

The feeling of being underpaid is hard to describe and even harder to address. With some jobs there just isn’t enough money to properly compensate workers what they are worth and in other circumstances, the company may not even realize how many responsibilities you have taken on to justify a higher pay. Either way, you need to be aware of the situation so that you can address it properly with your boss to either receive an increase in pay or other benefits.

Here are 12 signs that you are being underpaid:

1. Similar postings for the company advertise higher pay.

If your company has multiple positions open that are like yours but the salary is higher, then it is pretty obvious that you are being underpaid. Search your company’s postings every now and then to see what new employees are being offered.

2. The company’s revenues are higher than ever but nothing has changed.

This sign may be harder to know if your company is private.

3. Research indicates you are underpaid.

Stay on top of current salaries for your type of position using sites like Glassdoor.com, Salary.com, Indeed.com, and PayScale.com.

4. The salary for your starting job was below market value and is pretty much the same now.

You may have accepted a salary for your first job that you knew was low but compare it to now. If your salary hasn’t increased much since and it has been quite some time since you took that first job, then chances are you are underpaid.

5. You make less than your colleagues that have the same experience and education.

Co-workers don’t often talk about their salary but sometimes it may come up. Take notice if a colleague at your company or another company is being paid significantly more.

6. Your responsibilities have increased but salary has not.

If you keep taking on new roles and duties that give you more responsibilities but are not receiving even a discussion about getting a salary increase then there is a problem. Also, if your job title gets an upgrade but your income does not then it’s a sign.

7. You are in a specialty area that is not in high demand.

Some jobs are in high demand but there is a large supply of people to fill the demand so the need to pay highly gets undercut.

8. Your attitude is “I’m happy to just be employed.”

Becoming complacent to just have a job may allow managers to take advantage of you. While being grateful is not bad, you deserve to be paid what you are worth.

9. You haven’t had a performance review or raise in over a year.

A reason managers may not hold a performance review is to avoid the topic of a raise being brought up so ask for a performance review.

10. Any salary increase you had is negligible.

A raise in the last couple years of one to three percent is barely anything so make sure that the amount is in line with market standards or else ask for more.

11. Your boss avoids the topic whenever you discuss your career path.

Managers and bosses may be reluctant to discuss your long-term career goals with you in fear that it will lead to a discussion about salary.

12. There is a high turnover rate at your company.

A positive workplace culture with a high turnover rate doesn’t match. There is a reason everyone is leaving the company and it is not that they don’t like working there.

Photo: usatoday.com