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By Erin James and Todd Smith
One thing that is universally agreed upon when it comes to salary is that everyone wants more of it. But one of the most important things to consider is that your actual salary is much more than just pay per period. In fact, several elements compose one's true salary, according to Deborah Payne, PhD, CLSp(MB), CLDir(NCA), University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas. Components of the benefits package, such as the retirement plan, health insurance and the extent of health insurance for dependents, discretionary funds for travel and education to maintain accreditation are all part of the broad characterization of salary.
The complete list of elements that yields the true salary, according to Dr. Payne, includes:
- health benefits: out of pocket coverage, vision, dental;
- pension plans;
- paid sick days;
- paid personal days;
- paid vacation;
- discretionary funds for CME (travel or publications);
- parking/health club benefits;
- take home pay;
- incentive pay; and
- tuition support.
"This is something that most people are confused about when it comes to salary," Dr. Payne said. "They always think about the cash value of salary, but they rarely consider the benefits package in with that."
Determining Salary Structure
While it is important for laboratorians to consider the other elements that make up their salaries, to fully understand salary one must realize the variables that factor into salary structures. But this is extremely difficult, as these variables are complicated and rarely constant across the board.
According to Dr. Payne, the first variable is the actual position or rank of the position, followed by years of experience and geographical region of the country. The geographical location of a particular facility is rarely taken into account by laboratorians when considering their own salary, Dr. Payne says. But, as she points out, it is relevant.
"In the north region of the country the salaries are much higher, mainly because the cost of living is different," Dr. Payne told ADVANCE. "Also, the bigger cities are typically going to pay more than the smaller cities."
There are many other variables to consider in terms of a fair salary structure, but position rank, experience and location of the facility are the most basic. Other variables that affect compensation include:
- board certification;
- teaching responsibility;
- clinical responsibility;
- years since hired; and
- performance of job.
Getting Help
As the variables that affect salary are complex and generally inconsistent, the task of defining one's own worth can be difficult. After all, the duty of researching and understanding elements of salary structure is burdensome but essential for employees to maintain knowledge and understanding of their facility's particular definition of salary and the variables they use to establish appropriate wages. To get such valuable knowledge, employees need not look any further than their own facility.
Dr. Payne says that the best way to gain an understanding of a facility's salary structure is to use the human resource (HR) department within that facility. Many experts recommend establishing a rapport with someone in HR. In doing so, employees can learn how the facility measures the salary and what to look for. This can be essential, as many times HR will have evolving definitions for various packages or how a person is compensated.
"Just because you learn something one year doesn't mean it's going to be the same 2 or 3 years later," Dr. Payne said. "That's why it's important to stay in good contact with HR and find out how they determine the compensation ratio or if there are any new changes that need to be considered."
Most laboratorians are undereducated in the area of managing or determining salary ranges: It is simply not part of typical training. This is why HR can be such a great asset, adds Dr. Payne. Unfortunately, many laboratorians are not aware that HR is so willing to help employees understand the ins and outs of salary structure.
"One of the biggest challenges that we have is that we don't realize that HR can save us a lot of steps and that they are a wonderful resource to use to help us understand specific salary structures," Dr. Payne noted. "HR is extremely well-versed in all the subtleties of salary."
Words of Wisdom
In addition to establishing a contact in HR, there are additional factors to consider to better understand the components and variables of salary. While Dr. Payne stresses the importance of realizing that salary is not just take-home pay but a multitude of constituents such as sick and vacation time that do not readily translate into dollar values, even more variables factor into the salary equation as well.
It helps to have an understanding of the financial state of the institution. If the organization is going through massive layoffs or reduction in forces, for example, the path to a desired position or salary may be slowed down.
Also misunderstood is that the salary compensation issue is a dynamic process. Many times job descriptions have a tremendous amount of overlap between one class and another.
"A medical technologist III and a medical technologist IV have a lot of overlap," Dr. Payne explained. "Typically, if you are a certain percentage below the midpoint of that salary range, it is easier to get money than if you are above the midpoint because it is based on a percentage formula."
Therefore, reclassing an employee does not necessarily signify a major or immediate increase in salary. But because that pay grade is shifted upward, it will put the employee in a better position to receive increases in the future.
Salary Negotiation
If you are in the midst of interviewing for a higher paying job, play your cards right to optimize your earning potential. Describe your involvement within the lab community, explains Stephen Stadler, MBA, BSEE, manager of Lab Services, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia. Discuss your CEUs and academic degrees, published papers, presentations and involvement with clinical lab organizations. Explain the experience you have and how it is applicable to the job.
"You have to sell something about yourself," said Irina Lutinger, MPH, MT(ASCP)DLM, administrative director, Clinical Laboratories, New York University Medical Center. "You have to bring to the table something in terms of deliverables. First you need to offer the right skills, then ask for the salary range."
Base your salary range on your current salary and salary averages for your field and geographic area. Having a special skill, such as knowledge of information systems, automation and process improvement processes, will help you negotiate a higher salary. Lutinger recommends you ask between 30 percent to 40 percent higher than what you are making now if you can deliver a special skill.
Doubling your salary, on the other hand, will give the impression that you are more concerned about salary than job performance, asserts Stadler, who says that you may be able to increase your salary by 30 percent in less congested areas where the supply of laboratory personnel is fewer. In more congested and metropolitan areas, however, you should ask for 20 percent to 25 percent more.
"The general rule is you should start with the high end because you know you're not going to end up with that number, but you will have more leeway," Lutinger said. "If you really want the job, then you can negotiate down."
Earning an Increase
On the job, however, employees have less say in salary negotiation. Typically, a salary increase depends on a performance review. Many facilities use the merit-based system, where how well you performed in a year dictates the percentage increase. Your best bet in earning the highest end possible is to go above and beyond your call of duty. At York (PA) Hospital, Brenda Kile, MA, MT(ASCP), CLS, director of Allied Health Education and program director for CLS, explains that meeting or exceeding pre-established performance criteria determines the increase of salary. For instance, if an employee's overall performance rating is categorized as exceptional, then he or she will get the high end of the salary increase range.
At York, no salary increase is required unless the employee is meeting the performance criteria established for his position. The three common expectations that every employee is evaluated on are customer service excellence, fostering teamwork and fiscal responsibility through improvement and innovation, she says. Then based on the division of the laboratory where the technologist is employed, there are a number of additional performance expectations. Because the lab staff develops the criteria, they know the performance criteria used in the evaluation.
"Performance management is an ongoing process," Kile said. "Managers and supervisors meet several times (four meetings are recommended) throughout the year with each of their employees to dialogue about performance using the plan as the basis for the evaluation process. This way, there are no surprises regarding the annual review on the employee's hire date anniversary. This is when salary adjustments will be determined."
Occasionally, an employee may request a raise before the annual review. If, for example, the supervisor leaves in the middle of the year and the senior technologist is appointed, he or she should expect an approximate 5 percent raise for the promotion, Stadler explains. If the employee were paid substantially lower than the supervisory position, then the individual can make recommendations to the manager.
If you discover that you are getting paid substantially less than the salary range for your geographic area, position, skills and experience, build a case for yourself and discuss it with administration. Another approach is to write a memo to the administrators and list your accomplishments, such as CEUs, published papers or additional responsibilities. You can discuss the average in the department if you have the sense of what people make. However, comparing your salary can be a sensitive issue.
"I wouldn't recommend ever that an employee say, 'I know Mary Smith works in the same group with me and makes more,'" Stadler advised. "You can make a comment that you are paid considerably less compared to other people with similar jobs. Occasionally, people will ask for a raise because they need the money. You feel for the person, but you can't use that as justification within the department or with HR."
As lab administrators and managers, it's part of your job to be in tune with employee activity and performance. The best justification for salary increase requests will be deliverables. If you're a tech, lab administrators and managers know if you possess a special skill and will see if you are advancing yourself to become a top 10 percent employee, Lutinger says.
"They will negotiate for you to make sure that whatever your reasons are, that you are content and are given an opportunity for better financial leverage," she added.
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