Franke James is Editor/Founder of Office-Politics.com and Inventor of the Office-Politics® Game.

Peter R. Garber has worked as an HR professional for over 25 years and is the author of many business books including: Winning the Rat Race at Work and 100 Ways to Get on the Wrong Side of your Boss.

Dina Beach Lynch, is an Ombudsman, Author and former attorney. An award-winning mediator, Dina served as the Corporate Ombudsman for the 7th largest bank in the US helping over 48,000 employees to resolve workplace issues.

Dr. Rick Brandon is CEO of Brandon Partners. He has consulted and trained tens of thousands at corporations worldwide, including Fortune 500 companies across a variety of industries.

Dr. Marty Seldman is one of America's most experienced executive coaches. His 35-year career includes expertise in executive coaching, group dynamics, cross-cultural studies, clinical psychology, and training.

Arnie Herz, is a lawyer, mediator, speaker, author and consultant nationally recognized for his practical and inspired approach to conflict resolution and client counseling.

Dr. John Burton LL.B. M.B.A. M.Div. Ph.D. is an ethicist, mediator, lawyer and theologian. John is currently located in Prince Rupert, B.C., Canada, working with Canada's aboriginal communities.

Now I realize that the Director's wife will be getting the larger office with the executive furniture...

April 2005, Article 4

Dear Office-Politics,

I work for a non-profit organization. About 8 months ago our staff was told that we would not be getting our 3% raise or cost of living raise for an entire year. I just had my year anniversary in August and will not receive another raise until next August.

Recently, our Director came back from his month long vacation at the beach that the company pays for (instead of a bonus). He walked in and began to measure various areas of the office and stated that he was getting new furniture for certain areas of the office....front lobby etc. He proceeded to leave with 3 employees and they spent a three hour lunch break looking for new furniture.

His wife had stopped by earlier that morning and had an interview with someone under him. The next thing I know, they hire her! She had been a 'stay at home' mom until their daughter went back to work.

Over the past few months since all of the employees have been told that we are not getting raises, I have noticed that there have been more promotions and title changes than usual, which usually indicates a raise where I work. There have also been many new positions that have been created. I feel that this is extremely unfair to all the other employees (of course myself included) who have worked there many years, but are not getting a raise.

I was also offered an office with nice executive furniture from a co-worker who has recently gone part-time, but my boss told us that she wanted to wait until next week to discuss it. Of course now I realize that the Director's wife will be getting the larger office with the executive furniture.

I have been with the company for four years and I'm am so upset about the current events. I work extremely hard, received an outstanding evaluation, and have been a very loyal employee, but now I still have the office without the window, the old furniture, and no raise. How should I handle this situation?


Shoved Aside

Dear Shoved Aside,

Above all, our goal is to protect you from moving from "Shoved Aside" to telling the wrong person to "Shove It," since that could wind up with you being "Shoved OUT." Our advice comes in a few areas, all having to do with ways to control YOUR part of the relationship and none of which involve leaving. After all, we have no idea about many variables that impact the "right" strategy.

DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
(Sorry!) We don't really know if you are over-reacting (this could be true). After all, we have no idea about: Is the furniture actually warranted for the general lobby area and even for the position held by the wife (if she sees clients, donors, the media, for which proper image is important, etc.). Is the inequity as rampant or are the new job positions mainly at levels that require a different skill set or higher education than your colleagues who share your frustration about lack of raises? Is the wife purely part of inner circle nepotism and favoritism and/or does she possess mission critical talents like fundraising, etc.? There may be nothing wrong with hiring her if she has a long history of knowing the mission, values, and survival tactics of the non-profit that make her a good hire even though it appears like favor granting at first glance. Is the Director as self-serving as the picture you are painting, since you did acknowledge that the month vacation was actually earned in lieu of a bonus? So hopefully you see that some of what you are upset about we cannot know the whole story. So we'll first address your upset emotionally, then how to maneuver IF you decide to stay and to over time attempt to receive more rewards.

SAVVY ATTITUDES
First, make sure that you work on your mental game–– by examining your own attitudes to diminish your emotional upset. Often moral outrage can be greater in non-profit employees, yet the politics and ego dynamics can be similar to those in any organization. Let's face it, the pie is often smaller in non-profits, and there is less "fat," so there can be all the same (or more) jockeying for position and competing for limited resources as in a major blue chip corporation. Yet, non-profits attract many people with a deep sense of justice, fairness, and "doing the right thing." What we have found in non-profits is that people are more likely to trust others. They assume positive intent and higher motivation since that is consistent with the more altruistic and ethics-oriented organizational values, mission, and vision. They may assume that people in a non-profit will be less selfish and will put the noble cause over personal ambition. Ironically, is exactly this unwavering moral compass and trust in human nature that creates an even greater disgust and turn-off towards personal agendas and self-interest than others might feel. This certainly doesn't make you wrong to experience resentment about inequity, by no means––there was just a little red flag that went up for us that made us suspect that these dynamics are particularly upsetting to you whereas people with slightly different values might be a bit less bothered and thrown off balance, more likely to view them as a fact of organizational life.

ETHICAL LOBBYING
You've said that no one else at your level is getting a raise, so it might just be that it's not in the cards for folks with your function. Companies do indeed differentiate between different functional areas and levels in terms of their compensation in ways that no one agrees upon, especially those getting the short end of the stick. But if everyone doing the same thing you are is not receiving a raise, it's tough to claim that it's solely politics. Management does reserve the right to reward what it most values. Of course, it others at your level are receiving rewards inequitably, that's another story.

INDIVIDUAL UNFAIR TREATMENT
So, let's for now assume that the lack of raises is indeed unfair, and that all of the promotions and new titles are not warranted by needed strategically driven, merger-driven, or cost-cutting reorganizations, etc..Basically, you could choose to lobby to management not just yourself, but for all at your level. This more readily makes the issue a job plan situation rather than personal, so that you may not as likely be seen as a complainer or rabble rouser, especially if you calmly and objectively gather data to benchmark your pay level as it compares to similar jobs in the industry within your geographical area. Also, we'd recommend having a few people who are just as concerned to be a part of the lobbying team. First, explore the appropriate channels for advocating in this way so that you don't develop the reputation of being a trouble-maker or at least know what you're getting into.

Let's assume that you personally are receiving more than your fair share of being blocked from just rewards. That is, if you are also being held back more than others or denied perks like nicer offices, it might be that you would benefit from our next two areas of suggestions: (1) Getting on the Director's Good Side and (2) Making Sure You Are Not Being Blackballed.

We frankly believe there is nothing wrong with reframing your job as partially being to make your boss look great. That does not mean it is done at your own expense or in ways that hurt the broader organization's interests. And we certainly don’t advocate supporting a manager who is harming the company, behaving unethically, or committing illegal acts. Here, ignore all we’ve said and figure out what whistleblower channels there are if the misconduct is so great you feel out of integrity. Naturally, it’s vital to also have one’s lifestyle and economic house in order here, since there could likely be career-changing implications, the cost of doing the right thing.

TO LEAVE OR NOT TO LEAVE
We would never advise you on leaving or not. Just be clear that the dynamics you describe can happen anywhere. So be sure you have a realistic view and the economic freedom to make the transition before you leap. And be savvy about how you go about the process so that you are not ousted prematurely if someone finds out. Still, also provide adequate and fair notice, whether or not your company deserves since "your friends may come and go, but your enemies will accumulate."

We sincerely hope this little manifesto doesn't overwhelm you, or convey that we don't trust your slant on the issue. It's just that we wanted to present a balanced response. We're sending lots of good wishes for your welfare and for you to fare well!

Thanks for writing to Office-Politics.

Optimistically,

Rick Brandon, Ph.D. and Marty Seldman, Ph.D., Co-authors
Survival of the Savvy: High-Integrity Political Tactics for Career and Company Success
www.survivalofthesavvy.com