Comments on: Hourly or Salary?

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:56:31 +0000

I tend to think of salary as a more sophisticated payment plan versus hourly, which seems to be a micro-managing way to pay. I've worked for companies where I got paid salary and hourly. When I worked for my company that paid a salary, I felt like my quality of work had to be higher. Afterall, I couldn't say, "I didn't have enough time to finish it that day." Downside though is that overtime isn't paid.

The thing with hourly wages is that it tends to feel very micro-managed. Like, if I had a doctor's appt when I worked on salary, I didn't mark out an hour that day. I just worked extra hard the next day or just made sure all my work was done. With an hourly job, you have to take out that hour and you don't get paid for it. Also if my boss told us we could leave early for the day, we weren't getting paid for it. Leaving half-hour early? Take it off your timecard. With salary, we just left and enjoyed the pay.

I prefer salary over hourly simple for the fact I get paid for my quality of work and my dedication to the job versus an hourly job which can make you just feel like you're a machine doing a job and when you "clock out" you're not important.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:56:31 +0000

By: Sydney Owen

Sydney Owen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:58:09 +0000

Grace, excellent point about perks. In the end, it's all good. I happen to work in a place that is quite perk-y, in regards to actual perks and our attitudes . Our insurance is phenomenal, we too have a stocked kitchen (and tons of food clients so there's ALWAYS food here), and a lot of what you mentioned above.

I agree 100% – if you love your job, it's not a matter of feeling “cheated” for not getting a couple extra bucks on a check.

By: Sydney Owen

Sydney Owen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:53:15 +0000

Good point about the clients etc. To further clarify the “rent being paid by other people” part, it was more about how rollercoaster-ride-ish it is in the service industry. Seasonal restaurants are a double-edged sword – if you bartend at a beach bar, you can stockpile cash on the nice days, but come hurricane season, for example, you're left high and dry, living on savings from the good days. If you work in a high-end steakhouse that banks on companies in town for conventions with expense accounts – when there aren't conventions, you don't make a dime.

Like you said, it's all relative. Because my experience with hourly is pictured above, I prefer salary hands-down.

Thanks for being here!

By: Katie

Katie — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:18:54 +0000

As someone who has worked many years in the service industry, THANK YOU for you for hopping on that soap box. I wish more people understood what servers/bartenders actually walk away with at the end of a night, and also how demanding those jobs can be. Working a couple weeks as a server is enough to change your whole outlook on how to tip.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:25:12 +0000

Good post, Sydney. Hourly vs Salary? Salary, hands up and down, and together…Clapping! When I went from hourly to salary, I felt like a grown up. I felt I had proved myself in my profession. To hit that milestone I had to complete my degree, yep 30 years after I graduated from high school. The piece of paper matters and to be respected and trusted to earn that salary is an honor, IMO. And when you have a boss that rocks, its icing on the cake.

By: Grace Boyle

Grace Boyle — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:54:44 +0000

I think that hourly begins to fade out overtime. I think of hourly, and I think of the jobs I had in college or summer jobs.

The benefits that come with having a salary job equate those “extra” hours you might be putting in. This includes: flex vacation days, health care, bus pass, parking pass downtown, stocked kitchen, etc. I’m just listing some of the benefits I have at my job in addition to the salary.

I will say that that extra hour (if I’m getting paid hourly) will make a little difference in my motivation to stay longer. However, I do love my job and I don’t think of it in terms of hourly rather the projects that I complete and the tasks at hand.
.-= Grace Boyle´s last blog ..From The Guys, Guest Post: Women Have All the Power =-.

By: Tim Jahn

Tim Jahn — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:14:51 +0000

Great discussion

“It is really hard to stomach that your rent is paid by other people”.
This is ALWAYS the case. Your rent right now is paid by clients who chose your employer to work with. It’s more direct than you think, too. If enough of your employer’s clients decide to work with another company, they may not be able to justify paying you anymore.

I’ve never worked in the food industry specifically but I’ve always had hourly jobs, which has instilled in me a sense of hard work. You only get paid for hours you actually work. You don’t have time to waste. And your time is valued. People can’t barter 15 hours of your time for only 8 hours of your rate.

At the same time though, you can have the same work ethic with a salaried job (as I’m sure you do).

I definitely think it’s relative (as you mentioned last night) and personal preference. I’m still not convinced salary work as well for me as hourly. But last night’s discussion with everyone opened my eyes to some great values salary can provide.
.-= Tim Jahn´s last blog ..Chicago Art Department =-.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:11:39 +0000

I agree… salary seems to come with more perks and benefits. And it doesn’t leave room for the unexpected.

I happen to love routine when it comes to finances. I like knowing how much is coming in each month and I love knowing how my money will be divvied up over utilities, rent, groceries, gas, etc…

While hourly is nice when you work in a situation to make a lot of money – I’m not sure I would enjoy it in a ‘you may get paid/may not get paid’ scenario.
.-= Samantha´s last blog ..What is your dream job? =-.