bitches i need advice. i enjoy my job a lot, but at the start of the year my company got rid of one of its benefits (small partial reimbursement for rent/mortgage if you're WFH, which is almost everybody), saying that costs were going up in general and this was how we were adjusting. we got about a week's notice, and no one has ever mentioned it since.
now we're coming up on midyear evals and one of the form sections has a space for feedback. how do i politely say, "hey while it's not a total dealbreaker that kinda sucked and i would appreciate some alternative please".
as a note, a couple of times in the past when it's been time for my review, my boss will start the meeting with "congrats, you're getting a raise! it's $X, and it starts next week". i know that this is an amazing problem to have, but it feels like it cuts off any ability to negotiate for a specific amount or additional benefits, and now i have no idea how to ask for things anymore!
First: Don't be afraid to tell them exactly what you think of the change to the benefits. They probably already know it sucks and they should've given you more notice! There's no need to spare their feelings. So in the feedback space just say:
"The change in rent reimbursement for WFH employees felt very sudden. When I was hired, I considered that benefit to be part of my compensation, much like my health insurance or retirement plan. Lowering employee compensation like that is an important change and should have come with some kind of discussion, more warning, or an alternative plan to lessen the blow."
As for your meeting with your boss, consider anything they offer you in that meeting as the start of a discussion, not the conclusion of one! It's perfectly fine to go "Thanks for the X% raise. I'm glad you brought that up, because it leads perfectly into how I actually wanted to ask for Y% and here's why..."
Then follow our instructions below on how to ask for a raise. Don't ever be afraid to negotiate at work. It's your workplace, not your social life. It doesn't particularly matter how they feel about your suggestions and requests, so be assertive!
The First Time I Asked for a Raise
You Need To Ask for a Fucking Raise
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