There are a lot of times when employees are paid less than they think they are worth. If you have been receiving a certain level of income and your company is forced to scale back your pay a lot of issues come up. The key to dealing with them is to look at things honestly and objectively.

You have to decide whether or not you want to continue working at the company for these new rates, of course. This is going to require a lot of soul searching and tough questions.

You need to look at your general value. How hard would it be to find employment at another company? If you can find employment for a better pay rate do not hesitate.

Does the decreased pay also come with a lessening of responsibilities or hours? If so then it is a linear relationship and you should decide whether or not you are willing to accept what is basically a demotion.

Consider the Peter Principle which states that you should advance a worker until they fail, and then one spot down the ladder from that is their ideal position. If you think you could do the job that you were demoted from well then you might want to look for it elsewhere. This is going to require an objective analysis of your performance.

Another thing to consider is whether or not your company will bounce back. If you think they will then staying on only makes you look like more of a team player in the end. A good company will never forget your sacrifices in this department and it could lead to big raises and promotions in your future.

Remember that you can still work for your company while looking for another, better paying job. There is nothing illegal or morally wrong with trying to better market your skill set. Whether or not you are willing to accept the smaller pay in the meantime is up to you.

Learn more about this author, Royce Radcliffe.
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