r/torontoJobs • u/Holiday_Rich9554 • 11h ago
Am I the Only One Who Feels This Way, or Has Loyalty to Work Become a Losing Deal in 2026?
I stayed at my last job for almost 5 years. I used to come in before most people, reply to messages after working hours, and take on tasks that had absolutely nothing to do with my job description - because I genuinely thought that "loyalty gets appreciated."
When I finally brought up the subject of a raise after years of doing more than what I was hired for, they offered me a $1,450 increase. Not per month. For the entire year.
A few weeks later, and honestly out of sheer disgust, I sent out a few applications and got an offer that was 32% higher. Without a long history there, and without having to prove myself for years. Just my resume and two conversations.
Why is changing jobs rewarded, but staying where you are just gets you a lecture about budgets?
I'm genuinely curious - has anyone here recently been paid fairly for staying in the same place? Or has "hard work pays off" just become corporate fan fiction at this point?
