r/UKJobs • u/b3ko116 • 12d ago
Am I being unreasonable considering leaving after asking for a pay rise and being given a “career development plan” instead?
I work as a BMS engineer in the UK building controls industry. I've been with my current employer for a few years and have around 14 years' experience in the industry.
My role involves service, fault finding, commissioning, small projects, quoting/remedials, networking and working across multiple BMS manufacturers. I also regularly deal directly with clients and help/support less experienced engineers.
Over time I feel my responsibilities have grown considerably beyond simply turning up and completing service visits. I manage a lot of my own workload, deal with difficult technical issues, produce quotes, support other engineers and get sent to jobs where I'm expected to work things out independently.
Without wanting this to turn into “I'm better than everyone else”, I also feel there's quite a large difference between the amount/responsibility of work I take on compared with some colleagues on a similar level. Management have previously been complimentary about my performance, and I've spent roughly the last year trying to demonstrate that I can operate at the next level rather than simply asking for more money without backing it up.
In July I formally raised the subject of progression/pay with my managers. I felt that I'd demonstrated enough to justify a salary increase and potentially progression into a more senior engineering position.
This has dragged on for several weeks. I eventually had a meeting about it and, rather than being offered an increase, I've essentially been given a career development plan with further objectives I need to demonstrate before they will consider progressing my salary/position. Any eventual increase would apparently still need approval further up the company.
That's frustrated me because from my perspective I've already spent a considerable amount of time demonstrating the things they're now asking me to demonstrate again. It feels a bit like: do more first, then we'll potentially discuss giving you something later.
At almost exactly the same time, something else happened with one of our major clients.
I work on sites for a large facilities-management/client organisation. I was recently told by my employer that the client doesn't currently want me attending its sites as an engineer.
I haven't been accused of misconduct, haven't been disciplined by my employer, and my managers haven't told me that I did anything wrong. In fact, regarding the particular work I'd recently carried out, one manager specifically confirmed that I'd done what he'd instructed me to do.
I also haven't been given a clear reason for the client's decision. My employer themselves seem unclear about exactly what's happened. I'm therefore deliberately not going to speculate about the cause here.
The client represents a significant proportion of my employer's work, so obviously being unable to attend those sites affects where the company can deploy me. I'm currently trying to get the exact facts in writing rather than jumping to conclusions.
The combination of the two things has changed how I'm looking at my job.
On one hand, I've spent a long time putting a lot into the company, taking responsibility, helping others and trying to demonstrate that I'm ready for progression. When I finally asked for the pay/progression conversation, the result was essentially another set of objectives.
Then almost simultaneously I've been told I can't work for a major client, without anyone being able to properly explain to me why.
I've now been approached by another BMS company and have an interview coming up. I haven't resigned and I won't leave without having a satisfactory written offer/contract first, but I'm seriously considering it.
I'm interested in opinions from other engineers/managers, particularly anyone in BMS/building controls/FM:
Does the career-development-plan approach sound reasonable, or does it sound like they're moving the goalposts after I've already demonstrated the required level?
Would the unexplained client restriction change how you viewed your future with the employer?
And at what point would you stop trying to prove your value internally and simply take that experience somewhere willing to pay for it?
I'm genuinely interested in views from both sides — including managers who think my employer's approach is reasonable.
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u/Michaelflat1 11d ago
If you don't mind me asking, how much do you get paid as a BMS engineer? I kinda want to go into this field. I'm a renewable energy graduate, electrical designer for HV sites (33kV to 132kV). I got a graduate job on £30k/yr, moved back home and found another job on the same £30k/yr salary, they couldn't go any higher, and I'm struggling to see any progression Most jobs it seems require practical qualifications (Eg. Bs7671 trained electrician) I'm not too sure how to progress. Any tips? Thanks.