在一些用人单位，每年给员工定期加薪是常态。另外一些单位，会用奖金来感谢员工的辛勤工作，或奖励完成工作目标的员工。但是对于有些人来说，必须得要求加薪——如果你不要求，你就得不到。本期Take Away English讨论为什么很多英国人近来很难找到加薪的理由，以及如果你想要求加薪，应该怎么做。
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article
Being an employee at a company has many challenges – you want job satisfaction, a work-life balance and opportunities for promotion. But most of us want a decent financial reward. We aim to get a good salary to pay for the essential things in life plus a few luxuries. But when that’s not enough, we have to do the hardest thing in the world – ask our boss for a pay rise!
In some companies, a regular annual pay rise is the norm – all staff get a fixed increase in their monthly pay packet. In other firms, workers might get a bonus to reward them for their efforts or for meeting a target. But for some people, a pay increase is something you have to ask for – and if you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Wage increases have been a sensitive issue in recent years. Due to the global economic recession, businesses had to tighten their belts. Most public sector pay in the UK, for example, was frozen for two years in 2010, and after that rises were capped at 1% - below the rate of inflation. But last month the government awarded them a pay rise above the 2% inflation rate so that teachers, for example, will get a 2.75% salary boost. That's the equivalent to £1,000 extra a year for those on an average salary.
But not everyone is happy at being given a fixed pay rise – they feel they’re worth more and that they deserve more money. It’s not something we should fear “asking for”, says Pip Jamieson, founder of the professional networking site, The Dots. She’s told the BBC “No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise. In fact, rather the opposite - asking for more money shows ambition and shows you want to stay with the company.”
It’s something BBC Business Reporter Jamie Robertson has been looking into. He’s found that you need to do your research and find out what kind of pay your job should be getting, perhaps by talking to your Human Resources department. You’ll need to give good reasons for wanting more money and you’ll still have to keep your increase within your pay grade. Ask for an exact sum and be prepared for some negotiation. Of course, if you can’t get more cash then there are other perks you could ask for, such as flexible working or more time off. But if that gets you nowhere and your boss won’t budge, maybe it’s time to quit and find a new job?
vocabulary
employee 员工，雇员
job satisfaction 工作满足感
work-life balance 工作与生活的平衡
promotion 晋升
financial reward 经济回报
pay rise 涨工资，加薪
pay packet 工资
bonus 奖金
if you don’t ask, you don’t get 如果你不要求，你就得不到
wage 工钱，报酬
tighten one’s belt 勒紧裤腰带，省吃俭用
public sector 公营部门
capped 规定了上限
rate of inflation 通货膨胀率
salary 薪金
a fixed pay rise 固定的工资增长
Human Resources 人事部，人力资源部
pay grade 工资等级
perk （工资外的）补贴，津贴
flexible working 弹性工作时间
make sentences
I wanted a better work-life balance so I’ve cut my working hours to spend more time with the kids.
Because of the recession(经济衰退), I regret we are going to have to close some positions at the company.
After much negotiation, we have agreed a new pay deal which gives all staff a minimum pay rise of 2.5%.
After paying for a holiday and a new car, I think it’s time to tighten our belts.
Poor John. He got fired because he arrived late for work three times this week.
question
According to Pip Jamieson, can you lose your job by asking for a pay rise?
answer
No. She said “No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise. In fact rather the opposite - asking for more money shows ambition and shows you want to stay with the company.”
@BBC Learning English