# Advice on negotiating with employer



## Part 2 (Oct 1, 2011)

I've been asked if I'd be interested in doing some work additional to my role by my boss. This is being sold to me on the basis of being good for my professional development, show commitment to the organisation etc but my current workload won't be reduced. I'm being buttered up by management, being told how well I'm managing my current role etc. It's not something I'm used to tbh but I feel like I should be negotiating up from the current offer of nothing. If they think I'm so great I should be rewarded and if they really think I've got some kind of future potential I think I would look a bit of a mug if I accept working for free as the first offer.

I know that if I take up the offer my project will benefit. Any hours I do on this other piece of work will be re-imbursed to my project and they're telling me that could be up to 7 hours a week, although the work will probably mean me doing 4 hours.

I've a feeling I'm the only person in line for this and the work needs to start soon.

I'm thinking I should start by going in and telling them I'm prepared to do the full 7 hours and if they won't reduce my current workload they should pay me for 7 hours extra work. I could then drop to the 4 hours if need be.

Is this how this works in practice? Anyone got any advice?


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## Quartz (Oct 1, 2011)

How will your current project suffer by your spending up to a day a week on another project? You say that your current workload won't be reduced, but I do think you should negotiate on that point. Perhaps you could suggest that just as they see you in a good light, so one of your junior colleagues is now good enough to take on some of your scutwork, freeing you up for this extra work.

I do think that asking for extra pay up front is unlikely to work in this climate unless you're in the public sector. But success in this project will stand you in good stead come appraisal time, and that's worth mentioning up front.


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## equationgirl (Oct 1, 2011)

Definitely ask for extra payment, at least to start with. Organisations always try and get away with 'it's good for your professional development/it'll look good on your CV' but quite often this can be seen as you giving them carte blanche to take advantage if you agree,

Also, find out exactly what's involved in the taking on this extra work, how long it will be for and what state the new work is in at the moment.

It's one thing to simply be a extra pair of hands on something that's only going to be for a few weeks, it's quite another to expect a lot of additional work outside your normal job to be done for free by you for a longer period especially if it's in a complete chaotic mess. I did two people's jobs in addition to my own for a year due to two members of the team being off sick and was made to feel as if I was out of order for asking for due recompense. I persevered and evetually received additional pay. Had I known it was going to be for a full year when I started, I would have pushed harder upfront.


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## Part 2 (Oct 1, 2011)

Thanks for the replies, just what I was looking for in terms of thinking of other ways to look at it.

I know quite a bit about the project, it's for 6 months, completely new so not started yet and involves someone who I think I'll learn a lot from. It does sound an interesting piece of work so I'm prepared to compromise, just not too much.

It would be a difficult decision to add a further 20% onto my working week without any recognition other than what might happen in 18-24 months time.


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## FridgeMagnet (Oct 1, 2011)

I wouldn't go anywhere near it without absolutely firm promises of _something_ - and that would have to be a damn good something to work an extra day a week. If there's anything that is _bad_ for professional development and advancement it is getting a reputation as somebody who will do huge amounts of extra work for nothing. That means you will be asked to do the same again and again whenever anyone finds they can't make staffing ends meet, for no benefit to you, and also not get promoted or transferred because hey he does all this work for nothing, better keep him there!


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## equationgirl (Oct 1, 2011)

If at all possible, get something put in writing, even just in an email. That way in the event of any problems, you have something to refer back to.

By my calculations, 20% extra work for 6 months = same value as 10% of your annual salary, so any offer whether monetary or otherwise (time off in lieu for example) should be approximately the same value, a little more if it's a future reward such as a payrise in a years time.

Also, if the new extra work impacts on delivery of the current project, how will it affect you? For example, if the original project is delivered late, will you be penalised in any way? I think you really need to work out what the risks are to you in case one or both projects goes tits up (absolute worst case scenario obviously).

I'm not saying don't do it, just be aware of all the downsides as well as the benefits.


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## stuff_it (Oct 1, 2011)

If you honestly think you can easily handle the extra work talk money, otherwise like has been mentioned you should at least get a day of work from someone more junior on your current project so it doesn't suffer too much.


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## Part 2 (Oct 1, 2011)

Thanks again for the replies.

I was thinking of going to see my manager and asking "Do you think I can do my current job in 30 hours instead of 37?" and also "If you think I can what contingency plan is there for if things don't work out?"

There are another 11 workers in the same post as me and I'm aware it could set a precedent if I maintained the same workload but do 20% less time. We're up for tender in 18 months time and I already feel like this period will be used to see where else they could cut staff.

A new approach is being introduced to our project which isn't yet fully understood and I know they'll use this to suggest I might see a reduced workload. I do have some ideas for how my current workload could be reduced, much as it would probably mean taking the easier work from me and other work that I enjoy.

FMs post is coming from the way I'm thinking too, I don't want to be setting myself up and I've still got a lot of ill feeling for the organisation after good friends were treated badly during redundancy less than a year ago.


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