Money Logic...never!

I will most certainly be the first person to admit that I am lousey with money. All of my friends can testify to that. I don't save it, I spend it. And then I spend it on stuff to make my world a brighter place: Stormtrooper armour, books, DVD's, masks... useless stuff. Well useless from a practical point of view, but totally worth every last cent in my own opinion. But I do consider myself generous (when I have something to be generous with) and I also consider myself fair. Lend me a thousand Rand here, and I'll repay it (again this may take longer than antipated but I will eventually... [Alan your cheque is actually in the mail...]). 

Anyway I'm not here today to blather on about bad debt. I  want to find out if I'm the only person on the planet who cannot understand the rationale behind the companies I've worked for in terms of their finanicial commitment to me. Hows that for a title? Anyway this is my question: 

I work harder than most, infusing all my talent and energy into a company. I give of it my all, devoting the vast majority of my time to it. I bring major change to the organizations, I restructure badly thought out work-flows, and am constantly looking to improve how the company makes money. From time to time I ask for money to be spent on other items for the company which may be excessive. However I don't waste other peoples money. I work overtime without charging for it because I feel - the job must get done. And yet the companies refuse to pay me a decent salary. 

Now what confuses me is that everyone I speak to says I'm worth at least four times what I'm being paid at the moment. Hell even people within the organization are saying that. So here is my question again: if everyone can see it - why doesn't the boss see it? Why, when I ask for a raise, does it take three months of negotiations only to be blocked by pathetic answers? Why does the boss not simply say: Here my lad, here is a raise to show that we can appreciate your contribution. Now go forth and continue to develop the brand?

I've worked for three companies now that all had this mentality. And so far I'm two for two on the whole apply for raise, get nothing, and so resign. I hate resigning. There is that terrible moment where you actaully resign. Everyone goes quiet, and your balls retract as you realize you now need to find R8000.00 before the end of the month. But this morning I worked it out. At least I think I did, so I ask for those of you who are learned in the ways to correct me if I'm wrong. 

The boss cannot simply offer an increase to the amount he'd like because if he did it might establish an expectation for the next year for another increase. 

I find this hard to swallow. If that were the case he should simply state at the time of giving the raise - this is a once off thing. So it's not that one.

The boss does not have the budget.

This is a tricky one. Naturally every boss is nothing going to have budget. But when the boss then approves a new photo-copy machine that costs a years worth of salaries to replace a perfectly good machine you start to wonder. Or in my case you realize that you're working on the budget yourself and so know the figures. So that doesn't hold water.

Right next option then is perhaps the boss does not want to give you a raise because others might want one two. 

Oh performance based bonuses are very difficult to manage and justify. What constitutes performance? Doing one's duties? Doing duties outside of your department? This isn't applicable to me since I'm working in almost all the departments at my office, volunteering my time everywhere without falling behind in my work.

So that leaves then boss doesn't want to give a raise because boss is tight-fisted and doesn't want his profits to be impacted. Boss is trying to squeeze every last cent of work out of one without paying for it. But I cannont understand this mentality. If the worker is saying he'll leave if he doesn't earn more where is the logic in loosing a productive worker because of a minor drop in profit? Especially when that worker and the work they generate will increase profits?

Is it because there is always someone who will take the job for the money? Yes. But sadly where does that leave the company? With a disenchanted under motivated worker who's productivity is just enough to avoid being fired. How is that mentality good for business? It isn't. It cannot be.

I have never left one job to move into a worse one. I have had the luxary of friends who support me, and a loving family so I guess that makes me one of the lucky ones. But I know this now dear reader: I WILL NEVER BE EXTORTED AGAIN.

The next company I work for will pay for my services or else they can get inferior work from someone else. I want a balance between my work time and my play time. I want a balance between my work input and my financial reward. And I will not settle for anything less. Why should I? Why should you? 

So ask yourself my dear reader - am I working for someone elses profits, or am I working for my own? If you are working for someone elses profits - I challenge you to join me in standing up, resigning, and finding a place where we can each work for our own profits and not those of some tight-fisted glutton. 

Rage, rage, against the failing of the wage!