Incompetent work colleague on higher salary than me

lukin

I have been in my present job seven years and was assigned to train in another person who is supposed to work alongside me.
He is about ten years older than me. He started about eight months ago and has proven himself to be incredibly unknowledgeable about his work and downright lazy in that time. I posted about it here a few weeks ago but deleted it because I though it gave away too much information. Today I had a startling discovery; I found out he is being paid more than me (25 percent more). I can't say how I found it out, I don't know who is reading this. But I am certain the information is authentic.
I want to bring it up with my manager because I am fairly p****d to be honest. My problem is I obviously can't tell him how I know he is on a higher salary than me. He might possible deny it anyway.
He might tell me if I don't like it I can sling my hook. I don't think he will do that though because I have a high enough level of repsonsibilty.
I am fairly annoyed because I am far more competent than him at the job. He might have more experience than me but I can't see how he can be based on what I have seen so far. I was actually fairly shocked at some of the things he wasn't able to do and that I had to show him how to do.
He knows next to nothing about what we are doing and doesn't seem to care that he doesn't know. He is supposed to learn a couple of new technologies that we use and I have been teaching him that but he is doing nothing on it in his spare time, he only looks at it while I show him. He was mainly hired for his supposed competence in one particular field of what we do but he doesn't look to me to have much knowledge of it. There isn't enough work in that to keep him going every day in it anyway, he has got to learn the other stuff.
I don't want to make waves in work, I have kept my head down since I started there and I never asked for anything from my manager. I never asked for a raise. If my manager speaks to him he will know I have grassed on him.
I feel they are taking the p*** out of me. How can you have a situation where one person is training in another person yet the person who is being trained is on a higher salary than the person who is doing the training?
Surely it should be the other way around?
Fair enough if he proved himself to be very quick to learn and became competent in all these things that I am training him on in a short space of time. But that is not the case. He's robbing a living really.
I know they can't reduce his salary, if they were to pay me more than him I'd have to get a substantial raise.
I am not saying I would leave, I like the job but this is very disappointing.
It's my own fault I suppose, I have always ben very timid and undervalued myself.
But I am worried about broaching the subject of how I know he is getting paid more.

Jump_In_Jack

in my experience you have to find another job opportunity, then be prepared to leave, and have a sit down with your boss and inform your boss that the market is offering a lot more than you are being paid.

Let your manager talk and see what is said.

Under no circumstances bring up anybody else or the pay of anyone else. Keep that information to yourself.

Do not give an ultimatum, instead just float the possibility that with the market being so good that you are considering your options, and highlight that there is a huge gap between your pay and what the market is offering.

You could even mention that you haven’t pursued raises over the years so you may have dropped well below market rate and an adjustment is overdue.

Best of luck.

lukin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261124#Comment_122261124

But the entire source of my annoyance is that someone who is a way less good at my job is getting paid more than me.

Kalimah

I don’t think you can say you know he’s being paid more than you. You’ll be told it’s none of your business what he’s being paid, he’s a better negotiator blah blah blah. I’ve been in a similar situation- vastly underpaid and overworked. I was asked to present a business plan to justify a salary increase after I had asked for one. I was strung along for months and then told I was getting nothing. I left - probably was too patient with my employer.
I’d ask for a salary increase as you feel you’re being underpaid. See what happens- but be prepared to explore other avenues and put the feelers out for better opportunities. Don’t leave it too long or it’ll eat away at you. It’s not worth the stress.

lukin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261151#Comment_122261151

I don't think it's that he is a better negotiator than me; it's just that my manager didn't conduct the interview properly and believed a load of baloney that he told them. He might have told them that he knows how to do the stuff that he can't do.

There was another person on the interview panel that was supposed to ask the technical questions and I know for a fact that he didn't give a s***e who got the job because he wasn't going to be working with him so it wouldn't affect him if he turned out to be stone useless. Maybe my manager is completely unaware that he doesn't know all the stuff he said he did know and is making no attempt to learn it.

I will definitely mention it that he is earning more than me. I'd be prepared to leave if it came to that. The only thing is I am working from home and if I got a new job I would probably have to work onsite for the first six months or more. They may not even allow remote working.

Like I say I'd have no problem with him earning more than me if he came into the job with more ability than me or since he has been in it proved himself to be more competent than me.

I was going to say to my manager a few weeks ago how he doesn't seem to know much but I didn't want to get him into trouble. Now that I see he is getting paid more than me I will deffo say it.

Padre_Pio

Your salary is your problem to be honest. If you feel undervalued now, then check similar job listings and see what could be on offer for you.

It's not a good look if you march to your managers office and shout "He gets paid more than me"

Better to find out why he's paid more, and use that as a bargaining chip.

Damien360

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261136#Comment_122261136

I'm going to guess the company you work for is a multinational. Par for the course with these. You will be paid well at the beginning and your increases will not quite be matching inflation but new people hired are in a different market for pay so have to get paid higher to attract them in. I had exactly that and was left with no choice but leave. Even promotion will not bring your pay rate up enough. If you cannot give them an ultimatum, then you have to leave. You are just a number.

lukin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261237#Comment_122261237

I don't object to him simply on the basis "he gets paid more than me", it's that he gets paid more than me but is nowhere near as good as me.

If I'd found out what he is earning when he started I would have said "OK this guy has obviously more experience and ability than me and I'm sure I will see that over the coming months".

But I have seen the complete opposite and that is the source of my annoyance.

If I left I could probably work remote as a contractor and make more money.

It's a specialised area I work in and not a lot of people do it.

babyducklings1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058355957/incompetent-work-colleague-on-higher-salary-than-me

You should have asked for a raise based on your own knowledge/ skills/ expertise/ competencies etc. Make a case for yourself If you don’t ask you won’t get anything. They’ll just assume you are happy to tick over in your job. Forget about him and his salary this is about you and your worth. Ask for it.

65535

My daughter who now works for a large bank - back in the day was working in a local convenience store/garage - I asked her did she know the 'PLU' / Barcode number for a Cadburys Creme Egg and she rattled it off without a thought - I explained therefore that she knew everything possible about that job and it was time to move on.

And move on she did - it was just a means to an end which is what your job is - qualify yourself (get more qualifications) and move on when the time is right - you can do it.

(Creme Eggs don't scan because the foil breaks up the barcode so you have to manually add it in - the fact that she knew it off by heart meant it was time to move on)

CuriousCucumber

I could go into great detail on ways to ensure you get paid what you deserved, but the crux of the matter is, your salary is not linked to your colleagues. You were content with your salary before you knew what someone else was earning.

My own opinion, is to focus on yourself, and not others. Do you think you're worth more than you are currently paid to your company? Do you think another company would feel the same way? Then do something about it, and get yourself paid.

Whatever your colleague is earning, at the end of the day is irrelevant to you

This is it

Your salary is your issue, try negotiate a better deal if you're not happy with it.

Flinty997

This is not about your work colleague. Its about you, only you.

Companies do not reward loyalty. They don't need to compete for your skillset because you aren't a retention risk. Because you don't move. In fact it makes financial sense to get your services, experience and skillset for as little as they can. Why over pay for them if they don't have to.

You're angry because this situation has crystallised this for you.

If it were me I'd start doing interviews for jobs paying more and if you are successful then you have decision to make. If you are not then you know there is no point moving.

Forget about the colleague.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261136#Comment_122261136

Perhaps he is getting paid significantly more because he is not there to do your job, but a more senior role when he has got a feel for your job. A higher paid, older more experienced person, been around 8 months and not particularly concerned with getting to grips with the job…. Either there is another plan or he is a social case.

Either which way unless you have been asked to evaluate him it's none of your business. If you can't argue the merits of a pay increase on anything other than he is paid more than me it probably won't happen. You need to figure out what you want, regardless of the current situation and set about achieving it.

Ezeoul

You say he is ten years older than you, so probably negotiated a higher salary on the basis of more years of workplace experience, on his CV, even if you say he is not as competent as you.

As an aside, I think you should leave.

Sounds like your current company has some serious problems with GDPR / data breaches.

Murt2024

You mentioned you haven’t got a raise in seven years or even asked for a raise, that’s your problem. Wages have gone up substantially in that seven years.

Ask for a raise or move job. This happens in a lot of companies.

It’s only a job at the end of the day, if you don’t like it move on.

Ted222

It’s confirmation that you’re worth more than you’re getting paid. How you react though is your own business.

You can put the foot down for a raise but you need to have a plan B if it doesn’t work out.

If you’re not prepared to ask for a raise, that’s fair enough. But you don’t get to be annoyed at what others have negotiated on their own behalf.

lukin

I have been given a few raises in the seven years I've been there.

I don't think he was hired for a more senior role, he can't do my job so there's no chance he'll be able to do a more responsible position.

It wasn't because of a data breach I found out his salary.

I will look for another job anyway. If I get one and my manager asks why I'm leaving I will tell him "You are paying this guy more than me so you must think he is better than me so you should have no problem, he'll be able to manage grand".

Clo-Clo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261434#Comment_122261434

Leave so, I’m sure finding out someone else salary is a sackable offence

The problem you have is with yourself and your manger, it has nothing to do with anyone else

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261284#Comment_122261284

People with more career experience are typically paid more. It doesn't matter if the individual is not as good as you in a particular facet of work. They may bring other experience you might not even be aware of but the management might be. It's also your responsibility to fight your corner in terms of salary.

Forget about your colleague, think about yourself and ask for a raise and explain why you deserve it. Saying "x gets paid more than me but I'm better" I don't think is likely to go down well as a strategy. It might but I doubt it.

Murt2024

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261434#Comment_122261434

You seem to be taking this very personally. I don’t understand why. You are going to shoot your self in the foot with that attitude and maybe they are better off without you.

If someone is getting more than you that’s their business, it’s up to you to negotiate a higher salary or move companies.

Never leave on bad terms anywhere you work, you never know what down the line holds.

lukin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261461#Comment_122261461

We will see how they manage so.

A lot of employees undervalue their employees. They must be prepared to accept the consequences of that.

I could definitely earn more money elsewhere. If a nincompoop like the guy I am training can get paid for doing nothing then I definitely can.

I know that the guy who was there before me left because he wasn't getting paid enough.

Kermit.de.frog

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261487#Comment_122261487

You say you have worked there for seven years. You need to be careful if you're seriously considering moving on because you feel undervalued not to burn bridges despite how you feel about the management because your next employer will want to follow up on your last position. You'll need a good reference. It would be much harder to justify the previous seven years without one to a perspective employer.

combat14

if you value the remote work set up that much be careful about rocking any boats till you have an other option properly lined up....

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261453#Comment_122261453

More likely they couldn't get anyone so had to pay more to get someone less qualified than the OP.

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261487#Comment_122261487

Ahem..

Noodle1

An elderly wise man who was doing contract work for his entire career would always say ….. “your rate is your fault” …. If anyone complained to him about their salary. If you’re not happy with what they are paying you and think you are worth more then you should say it. I agree with the other posters on here, it doesn’t have anything to do with this other guy. No matter how competent he is or isn’t, he negotiated his rate and now he has it so that’s that.

You have to negotiate your own rate. Sounds like you don’t really believe in yourself and your own worth. If there are better rates out there go for it. If you have another job to go to you will be in a great place to negotiate a new rate in your current role. It’s all a game, you should play along and not burn your bridges on this one. Best of luck

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261451#Comment_122261451

how can being enabled with another person’s salary be a sackable offence ? The poster has asserted that it wasn’t a data breach…

The only way to find that information is if the employee in question tells you, or a manager does.

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122261612#Comment_122261612

Just because the poster asserted it wasn't a data breach, doesn't mean it wasn't one.

He seems to have an awful lot of information about his colleague's interview too.

Someone is talking out of school here.

mrslancaster

Why is this colleague still being trained by you after eight months in the job? Is training other staff part of your role? If it's not and you were assigned to just this new colleague, how long was that supposed to last? If you are still spending part of your day training him, is that having an impact on your own work/tasks?

It can be stressful trying to complete your own job if you have somehow become 'responsible' for ensuring your colleague does their job right - surely that's the role of your manager? Workplace stress can also lead to health problems. What would happen if you stopped training / hand holding now, or if you were out sick for weeks due to stress?

Agree with other posters, check out other opportunities and what your skills, qualifications and experience would pay.

lukin

I don't have any information about his interview, I know nothing about it.

I have often tried to find out what my particular job is paying but I couldn’t because I don't have a defined title and the work is specialised.

There's no point looking on glassdoor to find it.

So I had no idea what I should be earning.

It seems he is on a higher salary than me because he has worked in this particular field for a longer time than me. I'd like to see his CV if that is the case.

Because his lack of knowledge is staggering for a person with (allegedly) a lot of experience.

He is getting paid more than me because he has more experience than me. I can't verify that btw. But he has zero experience of the work he is doing in the job and is unwilling/unable to learn it.

That doesn't make sense to me.

As regards training him, I'd say I will be training him forever because it's impossible to get him to understand most things.