who would you chose?

[mad-mommy]

Scenario:
Boss, several middle managers who answer to boss, then the rest of the gang who answer to middle managers

Boss presents this question, if I can give a raise, but it can only be one of the following choices, a raise to middle management, or to the people who work under you. Your the middle person.

Who would you chose? Why would he ask that?

[mainegreen]

1. The people who work under me.

1) Just on principle.
2) If they work for you, they should be happier and work harder if paid better.
3) Screw MM.

[mad-mommy]

3. now wait....forgot to add some details

ok, your middle management, you do the same type of work as the people under you, get paid about the same, except your salary, and they are hourly, they work OT and do get paid for it. you take work home and don't get paid for it.

[mainegreen]

4. do you get the same benefits?

Vaca/sick time?
Flexible hours?
Less likely to be canned when layoffs arrive?

[mad-mommy]

6. yes....

yes, benefits same for all, you get less flex hours, and you go in and work for people so they can make appts, see their kids in school plays etc etc. Who knows about being canned, we live in a right to work state, can't they can you for just about anything?

[mainegreen]

7. Even in a right to work state the lower level workers tend

to be the more likely to be canned.

Personally, if all things are truely equal benefits wise, but the workload isn't then obviously the people with the higher work load should be compensated more.

[pdx_prog]

2. Easy....

The people that do the work.....make them feel appreciated and they will in turn do a better job making the company profitable.

Been trolling long?

[radwriter0555]

5. I would choose the people who were the most intelligent and capable....

and literate.

Competence should be rewarded.

[mad-mommy]

8. split it even

well there are 2 different types of raises, merit, based on what you as an individual provide to the company , and cost of living, which is the same percentage and equal for everyone.

merits are out of the question for now, but contemplating cost of living

I say, if it's cost of living, take the amount you have to work with and split it to everyone

[unpossibles]

9. as a middle manager I would give it to my workers

the happier they are, the harder they'll work, the better I will look and eventually i will get a raise too.

trust me - I much prefer to have a loyal team that respects me than people who wonder why i am above them and will stab me inthe back.

[tjwmason]

10. No idea.

It all depends on who is working well, what the current differentials are like, &c.&c.

[pdx_prog]

11. Cost of living raises

are usually spread evenly. 3%-4% yearly is commonplace. Merit raises are based pretty much the same way.....you only get more if you do something extra special.

[mad-mommy]

13. right...

right, and they aren't doing merit raises, so why ask, is it a trick question, just take the money and split it up for everyone. In this case, everyone works very hard, all very good people!

[flvegan]

12. The question doesn't make sense.

The question seems to suggest that there's a finite amount of money for this potential raise. It can go to several people (middle managers) or to "the rest of the gang" which I'll guess to be 50. So it'd be a big raise for a few, or a small raise for many.

It's either a trick question or a test, just to see what you'd say.

Hell, ask the boss if he is getting a raise, and is now just leaving out one segment of the company. Bad way to run a business.

[mad-mommy]

14. wait and see

wait and see, there won't be a raise, it's just torture to keep your mind busy for a while

[Rabrrrrrr]

15. What an obscure and convoluted question.

I'm sure there's some kind of democrat/republican analogy in there somewhere, though.

[Deep13]

16. Take it yourself. Demonstrate...

...that, like the Boss, you are driven by self-interest and desire for advancement, not by guilt or empathy. The Boss wants to know if you are able to say "no" to people under you. The raise is easily justified by the work load scenario and the fact that you are ultimately responsible for the workers. Management views the company from the top down. They also see their jobs as more difficult and responsible than those further down the ladder. They believe they are entitled to the perks that come with it. The Boss wants to know that you feel the same way.

Just a guess, of course.