Re: Bonus instead of raise -- why?

["Angela Kea" <writinglady -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Well, for those who take bonuses as a part of our salary package, it can be
a blessing and a curse. It becomes a curse when the economy slows up or the
company falls back in 'sales', and the bonuses "temporarily" disappear.
Typically, these companies pay you a lower-than-you're-worth salary, but add
the bonus as a "well, it'll make up for the slack" option; however, when
that bonus is snatched away, there goes your tuition money, the extra
mortgage payment, or that trip you'd planned for all summer.

Basically, the bonus IS NOT guaranteed at all, but most of the times, you
can expect to receive some type of raise. I'd rather have a 2 or 3% pay
increase per year than "maybe next year" bonuses.

--------------------------------------------
Angela Kea
Technical Writer
writinglady -at- hotmail -dot- com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Hall" <dhall -at- san-carlos -dot- rms -dot- slb -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Monday, October 01, 2001 1:52 PM
Subject: RE: Bonus instead of raise -- why?


: Just my thoughts...
:
: I'd assume that they're holding the line. If you look at it from
: the management perspective, this makes sense. When you're saving
: for retirement, the miracle of compounding interest works for
: you. When you're paying employees, it works against you.
:
: Your point about the job market is also well taken. Last year my
: company had layoffs, and offered substantial bonuses to those
: who stayed - bonuses that were "deferred"; the longer you stayed
: the more you got, up to the total amount. When they had layoffs
: earlier this year, as the economy was slowing, no such offer was
: made. :(
:
: The lump sum actually does have at least one upside: the firm
: must be on reasonably stable financial ground to afford the cash
: up front. That's cause for a smile in these (for some) trying
: times.
:
:
: HTH
:
: Dan
:
: Dan Hall
: Sr. Technical Writer
: SchlumbergerSema RTEMS
:
: -----Original Message-----
: From: anonfwd -at- raycomm -dot- com
: Subject: FWD: Bonus instead of raise -- why?
:
:
: Hello,
: I'm a tech-pubs manager at a smallish-sized software company. My company's
: annual review cycle is coming around. I have just been informed that --
: all across the company -- raises will be handled differently this year.
: Instead of getting, say, a 5% raise, we will get the 5% in one lump sum
: with the first pay period at which the raise would have been effective.
:
: Anyone know why they might be doing this?  Is it to hold the line on
: future increases?  Are they betting that in this job market, people won't
: just pocket the lump sum and leave?
:
: Any input is appreciated. Thanks!


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