Dilema With Work, Not Sure What To Do

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

Okay this situation in a nutshell is as follows:

 

: Our nursery changed ownership in July this year, new owners, but i am still a manager there. we have had a few teething problems, namely myself having to ajust to one of the owners being in work daily, but she is lovely and things have gone okay.

 

However, as many of you probably know in childcare money is always an issue. I have recently seen several nursery manager jobs advertised not a million miles away from where i live for a salary of anything betwwen £5,000 and £9,000 more than im on at present.

I have been totally honest with the owner and have told her that i have seen jobs for more money. she has responded by saying that if they could afford to pay me more they would... i guess that is fair enough.

 

Today i found out that fees have gone up by 6%, staff wages have gone up by 4%.

 

what is bugging myself and other staff is the fact that the pay increase (and pay in general) does not take into acocunt factors such as how long we have worked within the company (even though it is a new company, our terms of contract i.e our length of service from old complany carries over) so some people have been there years but are on the same pay as someone that has been there two months.

there is also no difference between qualifications or how long they have been held... so someone who has been qualified three years and worked there three years is on the same salary as someone who has just qualified.

i have a degree and NNEB and my qualifications are not refelcted in my salary, i am on less salary than the average level three manager in our area.

 

so im at a real dilema, knowing that i could apply for other jobs for more money, and that are actually looking for people with degree qualifications to join them in a managerial role. i guess if i got a job that sapecified above level three for manager would maybe make me feel like my degree was worth well (if that makes sense).

 

Ilove my job, i truely do.... but i could also do with more money and it seems silly to stay where i am if potentially i could get another managers job for more money.

 

now my question.

 

if you were me, would you be upfront with the owners about intentions to apply for other managers jobs, and the reason why (more money!, recognition of qualification).

 

would you also tell the owners that you feel the pay system is unfair and does not recognise length of service and differing qualifications.

 

or am i just being a total moaning minnie,LOL, which believe me right now, is a distinct possibility.

 

your thoughts welcomed

 

Dawn

[Susan]

You are obviously feeling very dissatisfied for a number of reasons.

 

Why not apply for the positions and see what happens?

 

At the end of day, you need to look after yourself. It may be that if you look at these other nurseries you will decide you are happy to stay where you are and that will answer questions for you. If you apply, you may not get the job and things will be sorted for you.

 

By all means answer any questions you get asked by the owners truthfully but i think I would be ware of being too forthright until you have secured another position.

 

Personally from reading your posts, I think that sooner or later you are going to move on but only you can decide where and when.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Guest]

I think you should be able to discuss these issues with your employers.

Try and seperate the different issues then it won't seem like a moaning minnie type of discussion.

Were you unhappy with your pay 'before' you saw salary levels in other settings?

 

Consider salary is not the only indicater for job saticfaction / motivation, for example consider the support for training offered ( or not) pension, sickness benefits, holiday pay, any other 'hidden' perks, every setting offers different things.

 

Fees have risen 6% yet wages only 4%, there are other costs to come from the fees, for example my rent last year rose 10% !.

 

Only you can judge whether your employers are doing the best that they can afford for their staff, there are many budgeting / financial balls to juggle, it is difficult to make ends meet. Also your new owners need time to settle before making major decisions. Ask them if they can give you any insight on the long term plans for the Nursery in terms of staff retension. As a manager it is good to bring to their attention that staff are showing they are feeling de-motivated due to salary levels. Ask your employers if they have any plans for other ways they intend to show appreciation for the staff due to the lack of sufficient salary increase.

 

As usual my reply is ad hoc and not structured, just thoughts as they appear.

 

Ask your employers to review their staffing policy with regards to qualification / experience levels.

I am as an owner / employer acutely aware that as the government requires higher levels of qualifications this will incur expectations of salarys that reflect this, however it doesn't on the other hand increase my income, especially with the constraints of the NEG, my main income is set by the government, not me. Are there any other ways that the company can increase their income?

 

One thing you could discuss is whether the owners are aware of the Transformation fund which gives financial incentives for employing staff with a degree, not all of this is for the degree holders salary but it is intended that 50% goes towards your salary. ( don't quote me on this, check it out first or ask your employers to)

 

 

best of luck, don't make too hasty a decision to move, you have invested a lot of you self in your current position and is the grass any greener?? Do whats best for your needs though.

 

Peggy

[Guest]

Thanks for your advice susan and peggy.

 

Very useful advice as always, and some really good things raised that i can ask my bosses.

 

the grass definetly is not always greener on the other side, i learnt this from previous experiences.

I love the nursery, staff i work with are great, children and parents lovely too.

 

Financially i do need more though, i can just manage on what i earn now, but it has been made clear there will be no pay increases till next october, and its a long time to just 'manage' when potentially i could earn more.

 

Its kind of a case of either follow my head (which says be logical and practical and look for a higher paid job), or follow my heart, which tells me that i do love my job and am 99.9% happy.

 

I would have probably broached the subject of pay with my boss soon anyhow, as i have just done EYP and think i may have passed it, plus as i say i feel it should be fairer that salary reflects qualification. However, i am totally aware that in the private sector this is hugely hard for settings to achieve.....

 

oh, what a dilema......

 

I hate feeling like this, because truely i am happy.

 

But in order to have a better quality of life (and pay of those darn student loans) i think i need to find a better paid job....

 

guess in a round about way, i have found my answer.

 

thanks for letting me vent and think aloud

 

dawn

[Andreamay]

Hi Dawn,

in my many years of experience in differnt childcare positions it is my belif that a setting is only as good as its staff and I would say that you are their main asset!! Why do I say that because it is obvious you CARE you believe EVERY CHILD DOES MATTER!! Shoot me down if you want but in my experience unfortunatly is it is rare in day nurseries to have a manager with these qualities!!!! Really sad I know!! Although i will say it is obviuos through contacts on here they do exist!!! Anyway my point is you can do your wonderful work elsewhere probably much needed too for more money providing all the other things are right and you dont rush in I say DO IT!!

[louby loo]

Im going to agree with andreamay 100% - just take your time and look for the right place. I'm writting as a person that tried it- I went with the high pay management in a chain and it was the worst experience of my life! I'm now back less pay but LOVE my job and the team I work with!!!!

 

xx

[Guest]

Thanks Andreamay, what lovely comments

 

also thanks louby lou .

 

It is really useful to get some advice from others, so thanks...

 

I have been thinking lots about this, and part of me doesn't want to be the 'new girl' again somewhere, yet i once was the new girl (obviously ) and settled well where i am now.

 

I guess there is absoloutly no harm in looking around for other jobs.... I may find the 'perfect job' (if indeed it exists), or i may learn along the way that actually truely i want to stay where i am.

 

lots to think about i guess.

 

Dawn

[Guest]

I haven't had a pay rise for the last 3 years....1 1/2 of those running the nursery on my own(well, with other members of staff of course!) What happened...opened up the nursery with a friend as joint supervisors she then fell pregnant and is still currently on maternity leave so I was thrown in the deep end. Our nursery is 'linked' with the local school so I had plenty of support from headteacher (committee ...who?) but that's another story!!!! I would love a pay rise and think I deserve one but if it means cutting of my nose to spite my face because we can't afford it then I am happy where I am and know that if I was to go somewhere else I don't think I would be happy.......guess what I'm trying to say is take notice of what ' your heart is saying to you'. It wont hurt to look around and maybe visit some nurserys but be careful, sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide....keep us posted

mrsb

[Rea]

I had thoughts of leaving playgroup for about a year before I did anything and then it was the comment from my husband that finally tipped the balance 'I can earn your weekly pay in 2 hours'.

 

I didnt leave for any particular reason, although pay was up there, I just knew it was time to go.

 

Good luck whatever you decide to do, but I think waiting and looking is a good way to start.

[alis2son]

I think i would apply for the jobs to see what it is that they are offering so much more for...use it as an opportunity to practice your interview skills and to learn a bit about the other nurseries in the area...then if you are interested in what they are offering, as for a meeting to speak with the new owners and let them know how you feel...maybe put your concerns in writing and give them a chance to review what they have, and remind them that although you are generally happy there, that the pay difference is affecting your self-worth.

 

Above all, i would have a look at the grass on the other side to see if it really is greener, before jumping over the fence, if you see what i mean.

 

I hope they can re-arrange their budgets to make a difference

[Andreamay]

Your Welcome

[Guest]

Come clean with your reasons with your employer but say you are exploring what other options are out there for you but also make it clear thats doesn't mean you are going.I think its better to be up front.I worked in the same school for 20 years because I was so happy and in the end they had to knock it down before I moved .I do wonder sometimes...What if...

[Guest]

I honestly think that the owners are aware they are not paying you what they should as do most nursery owners and would pay more if they could but I do think you should bring up the differential about length of service etc. All i would say is I have had better paid jobs and detested them. Money is not everything but be up front about it and see what they say. Perhaps put in for other jobs and see what happens. i agree with Peggy talk about the Transformation Fund to see if they can access it for more funding.

[Guest]

thanks for advice everyone

 

After lots of soul searching have decided that i will stay where i am. I am Happy and i guess that is what is most important.

 

I talked rather openly with the owner about stuff and we cleared the air a bit, so i am glad we chatted.

 

i do think the nursery has a great future due to new developments in the area, so maybe things in terms of pay etc will improve in time.

 

Dawn

[Guest Wolfie]

For what it's worth, I think that if you can afford to go with your heart rather than your head then you've made the right decision. Personal happiness and job satsifaction are extremely important and you sound very positive about your current job. Good luck!

[Guest]

For what it's worth, I think that if you can afford to go with your heart rather than your head then you've made the right decision. Personal happiness and job satsifaction are extremely important and you sound very positive about your current job. Good luck!

 

 

Thanks Wolfie,

 

I am glad that i rationalised it all calmly and from several angles and that i have chose to go with my heart and stay. many other staff are also happy i am staying so i know im very much valued there, and that is a lovely feeling

 

I told the owner i was not going to apply for the job i had seen and she is understandably very happy.

 

Guess i am very fortunate to have a job i LOVE, and ihave been on the flip side of that when i was in a job i hated and each day made me unhappy and depressed. For my own well-being its important to be where i am happy.

 

Thanks to everyone for their wonderful advice.

 

Dawn