#EmployeeEngagement #PerformanceManagement #PayBump #TeamManagement
High Performing employee “checked out” after pay bump
Have you ever had a situation where an employee seemed to lose motivation and engagement after receiving a pay bump? It’s a common issue that many managers face, and it can be incredibly frustrating. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind this phenomenon and provide you with some practical strategies for addressing it effectively.
Understanding the situation
So, your top performer received a substantial pay bump, and you were thrilled to have retained their talent. However, instead of continuing to excel, they seem to have “checked out.” They’re missing important meetings, letting deadlines slip, and generally underperforming. It’s a frustrating and perplexing situation. So, what could be going on?
Possible reasons for the change in behavior
It’s essential to consider the various factors that may be contributing to your employee’s sudden change in behavior. Here are a few potential reasons for their disengagement:
1. Burnout: The employee may have been feeling overworked and stressed before receiving the pay bump, and the added pressure of increased expectations post-raise could be causing burnout.
2. Lack of fulfillment: Perhaps the pay bump wasn’t enough to compensate for other aspects of the job that are unsatisfactory for the employee. This could include lack of career growth opportunities, challenging projects, or feeling undervalued in the overall company culture.
3. Change in priorities: The substantial increase in their income may have caused a shift in the employee’s personal priorities, leading them to reassess their commitment to their job.
4. Misalignment of expectations: The employee’s understanding of what the pay bump represented may differ from your intention. This misalignment can lead to disappointment and disengagement.
Addressing the situation
Now that we’ve identified some potential reasons for your employee’s disengagement, it’s time to address the issue proactively. Here are some actionable steps you can take to handle the situation effectively:
1. Open and honest conversation: Schedule a private meeting with the employee to discuss their recent behavior. Approach the conversation with empathy and a genuine desire to understand their perspective.
2. Clarify expectations: Revisit the terms of the pay bump and ensure that the employee understands what is expected of them in return. This can help realign their focus and motivation.
3. Offer support: If the employee is experiencing burnout, explore ways to alleviate their workload and provide additional support. This could involve redistributing tasks, offering flexible work arrangements, or providing access to mental health resources.
4. Revisit career development: Engage in a conversation about the employee’s long-term career goals and aspirations. Identify opportunities for growth within the company that align with their interests and talents.
5. Foster a supportive culture: Take a closer look at the overall company culture and team dynamics. Are there areas where improvements could be made to create a more supportive and fulfilling environment for your employees?
Moving forward
After addressing the situation with your employee, it’s crucial to monitor their progress and continue to provide ongoing support. Remember that every individual is unique, and it may take time for them to realign their focus and motivation. By approaching the situation with empathy and a willingness to understand their perspective, you can pave the way for a positive outcome.
In conclusion, the challenge of managing a high-performing employee who has “checked out” after a pay bump is a common but solvable issue. By identifying the potential reasons for their disengagement and addressing the situation with empathy and proactive strategies, you can guide your employee back to a path of high performance and fulfillment in their role.
Remember, effective employee management is essential for the success of your team and the overall productivity of your organization. By understanding the root causes of disengagement and taking proactive steps to address them, you can make a significant impact on your team’s performance and create a positive work environment for everyone involved.
If you’d like more guidance or support in managing employee engagement and performance, consider reaching out to our team of experts at [Your Company Name]. We have a wealth of experience in helping organizations optimize their team dynamics and achieve their business goals. Let’s work together to create a high-performing and engaged workforce.
What sort of oversight is there? I mean, does he work from home? He may be working two jobs and devoting his attention to the other one.
People’s behavior can turn on a dime. And it is pretty much impossible to figure out why. Maybe it’s time for a skip level “stay” meeting. Not an actual performance improvement plan but a casual conversation to review the performance metrics. Lay it on the line. Exactly as you have here. Back it up with data. Remind him that the next step is likely a performance improvement plan. Try not to invest too much in the outcome and be ready for any of the possible results.
he wanted to quit and only stayed because it seemed like easier money. now he’s coasting on the gravy train making more money without all the extra effort that other job would have required.
you’ll probably have to make consequences of not shaping up clear. Some kind of metric to meet with oversight along the way or it’s game over. One thing I’ve always said about asking for more money and getting it is “don’t now become an expensive problem”
My suggestion in how to address it is being honest about the situation.
-you were a top performer, you’re not performing similarly anymore.
-the pay bump came with the expectation you would continue to perform at a high level.
-all things considered, they need to get back to that point of receive some kind of consequence just like any other underperforming employee
Additionally, make sure you document everything. Make sure you document all the deadlines missed, projects unfinished, impacts to team and any and all conversations with this employee.
It sounds like he took both jobs to me. He probably saw the 80% offer, used that to negotiate for slightly more at the new place, then accepted it without putting in notice with you.
That sucks, but also it’s the logical thing to do when you were underpaid for so long.
This is the problem of being a “top performer”, your employer notices immediately the moment you let off the gas.
Probably laughing all the way to the bank as he devotes his effort to his new job that values him appropriately and milks the company that underpaid him for years for as long as possible.
This dude took the other job and is being paid twice.
His pay bump affected everybody’s else’s scheduled pay bumps?
I hope you’re not serious
he’s probably mad he spent all that time being underpaid when you could have been paying more
He’s mentally checked out and should have probably taken the other offer. He’s probably realized he’s too valuable and can do whatever he wants as long as the bare minimum is met. Allowing a single employee to become too important is one of the pitfalls of bad management/ poor risk management and this is how it can backfire. If you truly underpaid this guy 80% what the market rate was….then shame on your company honestly and you need to evaluate salaries.
These types of employees that will take advantage of their status during their “extended exit period” do exist unfortunately….i hate to admit it, but I became one of them and I eventually quit 3 months after accepting their counteroffer. My old manager was completely pissed but I didn’t care, and neither will your employee.
Him randomly missing meetings is a huge red flag that he’s working both jobs and deprioritizing your company. Depending on your KPI framework, audit his computer clicks or what he’s working on. He’ll either be caught and fired, or give notice when confronted about performance.
I’d meet with your VP or other managers to discuss his dropoff in performance and a game plan. Start looking for his replacement.
You’re kind of being a dick in this post, no offense. You underpaid this guy by 50% for years, and now you’re wondering why he’s not sucking you off while you demand credit for him finally figuring it out, then forcing you to stop doing that against your will. There’s a chance he’s just pissed and doesn’t trust you all anymore, even if you finally upped his pay.
I don’t agree with the replies in here.
Multiple things could be a play and we are all speculating without his side of the story;
He may be burned out.
The entire negotiation process may have left him shocked that he could double his salary, if he got close to a 100% then he must be really good and he also must have been really underpaid.
I suggest having an honest conversation/confronting him and setting clear expectations for performance, etc
If he doesn’t keep his end of the bargain then it might be time to find a replacement, but talk to him first.
No way he took both jobs. He could only work both as a remote worker in both places.
The new gig was hybrid at best.
He just wanted out – quiet quitting – and then quit.
Is the moderate performance still better than most others?
Is he maybe a bit burnt out? The fact that he was looking elsewhere means he was unhappy, and in my experience with top performers it’s usually because they’ve worked themselves way too hard.
Maybe just a conversation about how he is appreciated and you suggest he take an extra week of leave over the holidays so he comes back refreshed. And give him something to look forward to next year, if there is a project he’s been wanting to be on or something like that.
This is usually what happens when you underpay employees and directly show them you don’t care. They start thinking “well why am I working so hard then”
I agree with the others that say it’s possible that he’s burnt out. When was his last holiday? Does he have so much work that he’s given up?
I mean it’s possible he took both jobs but what you’re describing sounds like burnout to me, which is very common in top performers.
Xxx I’m in DC
I love that for the double-dipping employee!! Now there’s a worker who knows his true worth.
He’s clearly working the new job and just holding onto a paycheck with your company for as long as possible .
How can you give someone an 80% pay raise and not expect them to realize they were underpaid?
That would be all I could think about… Why did my employer undervalue me for so long? Why did it take the threat of quitting to be recognized and compensated fairly? What does this say about the future… could I reasonably expect that same employer to recognize my potential and develop me further?
TBH you probably should have let them go. They might have hated the new schedule and came back to the WFH role without feeling like you were screwing them.
He’s showing you why you should have respected him more to begin with. He’s on his way out and neither you nor your company will learn any lessons from it.
You should be doing yearly if not every 2 years a compensation review. It should be embarrassing that you were underpaying him by 100% and it was probably seen as a slap in the face to him.
Also, just an FYI but in my experience having an adjacent offshore cheap labor team member demotivates your onshore people. The offshore resource typically has the same title and half the workload and responsibilities. Tends to not participate in meetings as much, etc. Usually the onshore resources start feeling resentment at the separate treatment, especially as typically the offshore members have company paid lunches and gatherings, extra holidays, etc and they aren’t held to the same performance metrics with upper management emphasizing how cheap they are. Onshore ppl always have to pick up the slack and need to be at a higher utilization.
Not sure how your organization does things but from my experience the above has lead several staff in the same department to become demotivated and frustrated.
Shoulda come up with a better offer.
Have a conversation with him, ask him to be truthful about the situation and ask him what he wants to get him back to where he was as a top performer.
Stop trying to undersale people who are worth more.
If someone wants to go then let them. It isn’t just about the money. Once someone has their head out the door it is never really coming back even if you bump pay.
Just so you know, from my experience with the same situation with an employee. He took the other job too. He is working both jobs. When there a conflict he chooses the other job as the priority. This kind of double work is easier for a high performer as they were already doing the work of two or three people.
If I were him… I’d have taken the new gig and keep the current gig. I’d just begin outsourcing current gigs work doing bare minimum. Ride the wave until the gigs up.
You are mad at him because he’s doing to y’all what you’ve been doing to him since he started working for your company.
Maybe next time look at the mirror instead of trying to decipher other people behavior
He now realizes that you could have payed him what he is worth all along and that he had to threaten you to be paid a fair amount.
He probably also feels stupid for working so hard before.
He really shouldn’t have accepted the counter offer. That is generally never a good idea.
Oh look, the consequences of your own actions! Broski took both jobs and is skating by seeing how long you’ll pay him. Good for him.
A few thoughts. Somethings I’ve learned after 35+ years in IT Leadership roles (retired a couple of years ago at 55 as the CIO of a global enterprise)
1. If your employee presents you with an offer from another company at double the salary for a similar role, shake their hand and wish them the best. Then take a long hard look at your current compensation for all of your other employees and make sure they align with the current market.
2. Even if that employee accepts a counteroffer they won’t stay long. Money is only a temporary fix for whatever drove them to start looking.
3. No offense intended, but people don’t leave bad jobs, people leave bad managers.
4. Bad move trying to match the offer from a management perspective. You’ve now set the precedent to every one of your employees that they are likely being paid 50% of what they should be getting. You should be prepared for either demands for raises or some significant attrition in your workforce.
5. If you pay someone what they’re worth only after they “threaten” to leave, it’s already too late.
Wow, they weren’t just underpaid, it was criminal how underpaid they were. Of course they have resentment.
It’s like when your SO refuses to just pick up after themselves till you walk out, then suddenly they deep clean daily.
I’m not saying you aren’t a good person or manager OP, I’m just saying be honest with the state of pay these days, especially in the US. Too many companies boast “record profits” and then don’t give raises/bonuses.
I’m sorry if they are missing important meetings but really think about how long they were not paid according to the work they were doing. Now you want to be upset when they give the same energy back?
Good on that guy for taking a break hopefully enjoying his new job that’s paying him better while milking your company for every cent lmao
Your company is shit. You’re a shit manager. I’m glad you’re losing out here
He was an amazing employee and it took finding another job for you to up his pay. At that point the company has shown it could have been paying him appropriately the whole time but preferred to let it slide rather than trying to keep him happy and motivated. It’s great that he is being paid more appropriately now but the damage has been done and he probably has lost whatever respect for the company he had before. He was shown being the hardest worker means nothing but more work, and he now knows he can get another job easily. Company is in the find out stage now.
Apparently you could afford to pay your employee 80% more than you actually were, and simply chose not to. That alone would be so demotivating that it would destroy any loyalty he might have had for the company.
Someone at your company was so grossly exploited that a competitor offered him ***double*** his current salary, you managed to scrape together 80% and some good faith money upfront, and are dragging him as a slacker the second his workflow declines and are hitting him with 1-1’s, even going so far to blame his now market correct salary as being the reason why you are cutting bonuses and bumps to your other staffers.
Do you hear yourself at all????? I bet the man has realized that by accepting your counter offer he put a target on his back and will now be terminated with cause. I fucking bet he’s depressed he didn’t take the other company’s offer. I fucking bet he’s not the only person you have on staff who could make ***DOUBLE*** working at your competitor. And I bet you and your entire management staff are atrocious to work for.
You are underpaying your employees. WFH shouldn’t mean earning half.
I’m a high performer. Generally the only rewards I see are increased requirements for goals I have to reach being set. Bonuses never match the level of performance.
He learned how much he has been underpaid and it’s starting to sink in.
You shouldn’t be embarrassed about the 80% pay bump for him, but for waiting until he had job offers willing to pay him appropriately before giving him a raise.
>ungrateful
You were *criminally* underpaying this guy to the point where he could have doubled his salary. And you’re still expecting 110%?
I know exactly where they’re coming from. What you told him is you thought he was worth 80% more than what you were paying him the entire time and actively chose to pay him well bellow what he was worth. My last job did the same thing to me, and after I got the pay bump I straight laid down on them too then immediately started looking for another job.
Integrity goes a lot further with employees than you seem to realize.