Line managers are usually put in an especially tough place when it comes to compensation. You probably don’t set the budget, but you do get the first-line of questioning from reports when their compensation expectations are mismatched. It can be really frustrating when you have the responsibility without the agency.
Let’s start with clarifying what the expectation usually is here: your job is not to produce a raise instantly. Your job is to balance supporting your report to the best of your ability within the business’ priorities. Sometimes that means advocating for a raise to address inequities before it negatively affects your team and business. Sometimes it means having to let a really great person move on to bigger and better opportunities that you can’t match. That sucks, but there are a lot of steps to try before you might have to reach that conclusion.
Think about the business trade-offs at play.
As a people line manager, I’m more likely to have an emotional connection with my direct reports. I’m meeting with them regularly. I usually know their spouses and children’s names, their hobbies, their interests, and what drives them in their career and at work. For any manager, some emotional support is part of the gig. It’s hard not to bond with people that way. I absolutely have found it easier to advocate for my reports than myself, and it was a tough balance to find as a new manager.
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