What wage is reasonable for staff?

**Mandy** · 03-06-2008, 06:24 PM

I have a practice in a not so large city in eastern ontario. Trying to decide what is a reasonable salary for staff is sometimes difficult. My receptionist is paid $14.00, dispensary assistant $15.00 and a part-time position for completing general office duties and automated visiual fields makes $14.00. All three employees have been with me for about one year. There are no evening hours or Saturdays.
Are these salaries in keeping with industry standards?
I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks Mandy.

**Refractingoptician.com** · 03-06-2008, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by Mandy

I have a practice in a not so large city in eastern ontario. Trying to decide what is a reasonable salary for staff is sometimes difficult. My receptionist is paid $14.00, dispensary assistant $15.00 and a part-time position for completing general office duties and automated visiual fields makes $14.00. All three employees have been with me for about one year. There are no evening hours or Saturdays.
Are these salaries in keeping with industry standards?
I would appreciate your comments.

Thanks Mandy.

If they are good , & neither you nor the patients have any complaints then pay them well . to hell with industry standards . You want to keep them , not keep re-training new ones .

**AdmiralKnight** · 03-06-2008, 07:09 PM

Seems like good wages to me. Especially for the one year mark.

**mlm** · 03-07-2008, 12:31 AM

I agree with AdmiralKnight. It took me about 6 years to get to that kind of wage.

**Refractingoptician.com** · 03-07-2008, 04:13 AM

14.00 per hour times a 40 hour work week = 560.00 per week

Now could you live on that after source deductions ?

No !

Are the wages , at the moment , in line with industry standards ? Yes .

Could you afford to work for yourself and maintain an apartment , food , and a car ?

**eyemanflying** · 03-07-2008, 04:23 AM

Mandy's question didn't ask whether they could afford an apartment or car, that's the employees's issue. After one year, the wages are in line but, as the others indicated, it is hard to find good help these days so a little more is a always a good idea.

**Refractingoptician.com** · 03-07-2008, 06:21 AM

Originally Posted by eyemanflying

Mandy's question didn't ask whether they could afford an apartment or car, that's the employees's issue. After one year, the wages are in line but, as the others indicated, it is hard to find good help these days so a little more is a always a good idea.

Mandy may not have asked that , but perhaps she needs to .

**AdmiralKnight** · 03-07-2008, 03:42 PM

It works out to be just under 30k a year before taxes. They're not raking in the bread, but it's a fair wage for the job. And while the employer should make sure their wages are fair, fair doesn't mean 'more than everyone else'. Fair is a wage that both the employer and employee should agree on. They haven't quit, so obviously they're atleast satisfied with the wages. And I'm sorry, yes, you certainly can have an apartment, car and food for 1100 a month. You won't get a brand new car, you won't get a penthouse condo, but you can definatly live off that. I did. For quite a while.

**Dave Nelson** · 03-17-2008, 02:27 PM

a better question is how much previous experience they have. If they have been with you 1 year, but elsewhere for 10, then they should get more. If their experience with you is their total, then it appears your remuneration is fair. Whether they can maintain the lifestyle they want on what you pay them is, as has been pointed out, a moot point. If they want more $$ they will have to demonstrate reliability, salesmanship, a good attitude, and a willingness to learn and help grow your (and theirs) practice. You, on the other hand will have to be prepared to reward those very things, or watch your best staff march to the competition, while you hire the next trainee, and watch in bewilderment as they also flee to greener pastures the moment they become valuable to you.
Good luck.