This is a true story. It happened in the mid-2000s.
A friend of mine, an experienced engineer in an MNC, went out for drinks with me.
She looked disturbed, so I asked, “What’s wrong?”
She laughed and said, “I got my increment today. RM30. I told my boss to take it back.”
Before anyone jumps in, yes, in an uncertain economy, RM30 is better than a pay cut. I don’t disagree.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth from my years in HR.
When I see increments below RM100, I usually advise management not to proceed.
Because psychologically, these numbers don’t land as appreciation.
People read it as “This is how much I’m valued.”
And let’s be honest, RM30 doesn’t say very much.
Salary is emotional. Always has been. Always will be.
Super small increments with zero explanation are always a problem.
Tbh, transparency doesn’t make everyone happy.
But it makes disappointment easier to digest, if that makes sense.
What I’ve learned from this story is this… a poorly explained RM30 increment can hurt morale more than no increment at all.
Thoughts?
xoxoxo, AuntyHR
