After a period of dedication to one’s work, it is normal to manifest the desire to be rewarded with a higher pay. Take a considered decision it is essential, also because one might find oneself having to choose between this possibility and that of a level up. Each choice has its pros and cons, and the final decision will depend on personal needs and the work context you find yourself in. Let’s examine together the possible advantages and disadvantages of both options.
What is meant by raise and salary increase?
When you are hired by an employer, you are assigned a category (manager, executive, employee, worker, etc.) and a classification level. The classification defines the salary treatment and can undergo changes over time. A level up indicates an advancement in the hierarchical ladder of one’s job role, while a salary increase It only concerns an increase in economic remuneration, without any change in duties and/or responsibilities. In some cases, it is possible to obtain both a raise in level and salary: an ideal situation that, when it occurs, allows you to be rewarded with both a higher economic remuneration and with professional growth.
Level Up: When It Happens
In our country, every sector has its own Ccnl (National Collective Labour Agreement), which regulates the relationship between workers and employers, establishing rights, duties and contractual levels. Each role and category within a Ccnl has a associated minimum wage. The contractual framework is determined by the category and level at which a company hires the employee. The various Ccnl are usually subject to periodic renewals, with related salary adjustments.
The main categories are: managers, who enjoy decision-making autonomy and lead the company or a sector, with the highest remuneration; executives, subordinates with decision-making power, who manage specific offices or sectors; employees, who carry out office tasks, divided into managerial, conceptual and order functions; workers, divided into common, qualified, intermediate and specialized. Contractual levels They are generally divided into: Level A, with change management and innovation roles; Levels B1-B3, with specialist management roles; Levels C1-C3 with specific technical roles; Levels D1-D2, with operational roles.
The level, established at the time of intake, can change, and its increase depends on the Reference Ccnl. In the commerce sector, for example, it kicks in after three years of seniority, with an increase of 25.46 euros per month for a manager and 19.47 euros for seventh-level employees. In the metalworking industry, increases mature every two years, ranging from 18.49 euros per month for level 1 to 45.96 euros per month for level 9.
Leveling Up: Pros and Cons
Leveling up usually involves more responsibilities and complexity in tasks, but also a salary improvement. In practice, being promoted to a higher level means receiving a higher salary, but it often also implies a higher workload and the assumption of new responsibilities. Let’s see in detail what advantages can bring.
Professional growth: A promotion often comes with increased responsibilities, which can lead to improved skills and experience, but also a higher workload, which could impact quality of life and work-life balance.
Career opportunities: At higher levels, career opportunities tend to increase, facilitating further advancement in the future.
Recognition: Getting a promotion can be a strong signal of recognition for your work and abilities.
Network and visibility: Higher positions often allow you to interact with management levels and expand your professional network.
The the other side of the coin it may instead be represented by factors such as:
more responsibilitiespromotions often come with increased work and responsibility, which can increase stress;
work-life balancenew responsibilities could negatively affect work-life balance;
expectationspromotions may carry higher expectations, which may be difficult to meet.
Pay raise: pros and cons
L’salary increase involves a direct increase of the salary, without necessarily changing the classification level. This type of increase can be quicker and more concrete, improving the financial situation of the employee without subjecting him to new responsibilities or tasks. advantages of this choice include:
instant satisfactiona pay raise provides an immediate financial benefit, improving one’s standard of living;
financial motivationa higher salary can serve as motivation to continue excelling in your current role;
economic stabilityhigher earnings can contribute to greater financial security and stability.
Among the possible disadvantagesmay include:
limited professional growtha pay raise without a promotion could limit long-term career growth opportunities;
external evaluationif the job market perceives that you have stayed in the same role too long, you may be seen as less ambitious or “stagnant”;
lack of new challengesstaying in the same role may not offer new challenges or learning opportunities.
What to choose?
Both the increase in level and the increase in salary can be advantageous, even if each of these choices entails, as we have seen, various aspects to take into consideration. In general, the salary increase is more consistent for the paycheck compared to the level increase, without however determining a greater burden of responsibility. However, the level increase, although it entails a reduced economic increase, confers greater guarantees for the employeewho is protected from demotions and possible complications at work, such as contractual absorptions.
However, if the transition to a higher level were purely figurativewith increased responsibilities and no (or modest) compensation, then it is better to move towards a direct salary increase. On the other hand, although the salary increase may lead to a higher remuneration, it may not be accompanied by an official recognition of one’s professional growth. Furthermore, one could do not receive a significant increase if the company is going through a period of economic difficulty.
Final considerations
The decision whether to accept a raise or a salary increase depends on your own personal and professional prioritieswhich can be broadly identified with:
career goalsthat is, reflect on where you want to get to in your career and how each option can bring you closer to your set goals;
financial situationevaluate your current financial situation and how a raise might impact you versus a promotion;
work-life balanceconsider how much value you are willing to place on your work-life balance and how each option might affect it;
job satisfactionthink about how much you enjoy your current job and whether you are ready for the new challenges a promotion might bring.
To recap, before “confronting” the boss to make these requests, it is a good idea to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of
both options, as well as your current situation and future goals. Talk to a mentoror a career consultantcan be helpful in making an informed decision.