Internal Job Change Within the Same Company and Salary

An internal job change within the same company in relation to salary means that you move to a new role while your employer reassesses your pay. The key question behind a “new role in the same company and salary” is whether your pay will stay the same, increase, or even decrease. The answer depends on your contract, the collective labour agreement (cao), job grading system, and the reason for the change. This article explains how this works in the Dutch context and how it links to reorganization and outplacement.

What does an internal job change mean for your salary?

When your role changes internally, your employment contract is not always completely renewed, but your tasks and responsibilities do change. Under Dutch labour law, an employer cannot simply reduce your salary unilaterally, especially if you have a permanent contract. A new internal role therefore almost always requires consultation and your consent, certainly when pay is affected.

Many organisations use a job grading system with salary scales. A role is placed in a scale based on responsibility, complexity, and required knowledge. If you move to a higher-graded role, a salary increase is usually the logical consequence. If you move to a lower-graded role, for example because your position becomes redundant due to reorganisation, the situation is more sensitive: protection of your current salary and transitional arrangements become important topics.

The broader context matters even more when reorganisation or outplacement is involved. Employers in the Netherlands must first look at suitable work within the organisation before moving towards dismissal. An internal move can therefore be an alternative to an outplacement route, with different consequences for your salary level and career prospects.

• Your current contract and collective agreement define room for salary changes.
• Job grading and salary scales provide an objective framework.
• Reorganisation triggers a legal obligation to look at redeployment.
• Your consent is in principle required for structural pay changes.

How does salary work in case of promotion to a new role?

When you are promoted to a more senior role, salary is usually part of the discussion. Many Dutch collective agreements specify how an employee should be placed into a higher scale. Sometimes the agreement prescribes a minimum step within the new scale, sometimes a gradual growth path is used. The basic principle is that your pay should reflect your new level of responsibility.

For example: you are currently in scale 8, step 5, and you move to a role in scale 9. The employer must at least place you at a step in scale 9 that is equal to your current salary, but often an extra step is added so that the promotion is visible in your pay. The exact outcome depends on internal policies, your performance, and your negotiation.

Be aware that a promotion is sometimes combined with other changes, such as more working hours, a different work location, or different variable pay (bonuses, allowances). In those cases, it is wise to look at the entire package: not only your gross monthly salary, but also secondary benefits and future growth opportunities. Career coaching or outplacement coaching can help you to evaluate this professionally.

• Check the collective agreement rules on placement after promotion.
• Look at the full compensation package, not just base salary.
• Ask for written confirmation of scale, step, and start date.
• Use the negotiation moment to discuss training or flexibility as well.

Lateral move: new role, similar level – what about pay?

A lateral move means you switch to a different role at roughly the same level. This could be driven by your own development wishes or by organisational changes. In such situations, the expectation is usually that your salary remains the same, especially if the new role falls in the same scale.

If the new role is in a different scale but comparable in weight, employers often choose to maintain your current salary. They may do so by placing you at a higher step in the new scale or by agreeing to temporarily freeze your salary until the scale “catches up”. These are tailor-made arrangements that should always be recorded in writing, either in a letter or as an addendum to your contract.

When a lateral move is offered in the context of reorganisation or as an alternative to dismissal, it is sensible to consider your broader options. Sometimes an internal offer is a reasonable solution, but an outplacement programme can offer better long-term prospects, for example because you may find a role elsewhere that fits your profile and salary expectations more closely.

• In lateral moves, salary is often kept at the same level.
• Salary maintenance can be arranged via a higher step or temporary freeze.
• Always record tailor-made agreements in writing.
• Compare internal options with your external labour market potential.

New role with lower salary: is that allowed?

A frequent concern in internal changes is whether a salary reduction is legally possible. Under Dutch law, an employer cannot just reduce pay unilaterally, unless there is a clear legal basis, such as a written amendment clause in the contract and a compelling business interest. Even then, a court would still assess whether the change is reasonable and whether your interests have been sufficiently taken into account.

In practice, lower pay is mostly discussed when your position disappears or when you are no longer suitable for your current role, for example due to health issues. Employers may then offer a lower-level job. Here the distinction between “suitable work” (work that can reasonably be required from you) and “other work” becomes important. For suitable work, maintaining your current salary is more likely; for truly different work, negotiation about a different salary level sometimes occurs.

If an employer insists on a lower role with structurally lower pay without clear necessity or reasonable justification, the discussion can shift towards termination. Then concepts like dismissal and a settlement agreement (vaststellingsovereenkomst) come into play, often combined with outplacement support. In such trajectories, coaching helps you to rethink both your career step and your negotiating position.

• Structural salary reductions require your consent or a strong legal basis.
• For suitable work, salary maintenance is often expected.
• For different work, a lower salary is only acceptable after careful weighing of interests.
• Unresolved conflicts about pay can lead to dismissal discussions.

Reorganisation, redeployment and salary: how do they relate?

During reorganisation, a Dutch employer has a legal duty to investigate redeployment options for employees. The Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), which assesses economic dismissal requests, explicitly checks whether suitable work within the organisation has been explored. A new internal role can therefore be an alternative to redundancy.

However, redeployment does not automatically mean that all conditions remain unchanged. New roles may be graded higher or lower, or have a different character. In practice, this leads to discussion about salary protection, personal allowances, or transition schemes. Some employers offer temporary guarantees, for example maintaining the old salary for a certain number of years and then gradually aligning with the new scale.

If no suitable internal role can be found or if redeployment is not considered reasonable, dismissal due to reorganisation becomes relevant. In those cases, outplacement support is often part of the solution, so that you can find a new job outside the organisation with professional guidance. Your previous salary and experience then serve as a reference point in the external labour market.

• UWV checks whether redeployment has been investigated before economic dismissal.
• Redeployment may involve transitional salary arrangements.
• If redeployment fails, dismissal and outplacement become likely options.
• Clear written agreements prevent later disputes about pay.

Internal role change or outplacement: which is better?

When your role disappears or no longer suits you, you may face a choice: accept a new role within the same company or start an outplacement programme towards a new employer. Both options affect your salary development and career prospects. The right choice depends on your ambitions, your position in the labour market, and the quality of the internal offer.

An internal move can be attractive if the role fits you, offers realistic growth opportunities and comes with a fair, market-based salary. Particularly if the organisation invests in training and development, this can be a stable and safe route. At the same time, an internal move can feel like a compromise, especially if you step down in level or perspective while you might have better opportunities outside.

An outplacement programme allows you to explore more broadly: what suits you, which sectors are promising, and what salary level fits your experience in the current labour market? For some professionals, this is a more exciting but ultimately financially more attractive route. For others, the security and familiarity of an internal step is more valuable, even if the immediate salary gain is limited.

• Internal move: more security, but less room for full career reorientation.
• Outplacement: more freedom and market orientation, but less certainty.
• Evaluate content, salary, development opportunities and job satisfaction together.
• Independent coaching can help you make a balanced decision.

Negotiating salary in an internal job change

You are allowed to negotiate even in internal moves. Many employees underestimate their room to manoeuvre because it is “only” an internal change. In reality, this is precisely the moment to discuss scale, step, growth path, and related conditions. Clear agreements now reduce the risk of misunderstandings or disappointment later.

Good preparation starts with information: what is the usual scale for this role, how does the salary structure work, and which collective agreement rules apply? It is also wise to research your market value through vacancies, salary surveys, and conversations with a career coach. This enables you to substantiate why a certain step or additional development budget is reasonable.

Non-financial elements also matter in internal negotiations. Think of training budgets, coaching, working from home arrangements, extra days off, or time for professional development. Especially when there is limited room in base salary, these elements can be valuable negotiation topics. Experience from outplacement shows that employees who learn to negotiate broadly are often more satisfied with their overall package, both internally and externally.

• Prepare with data on scales, steps and market value.
• Support your requests with performance and added value.
• Also negotiate development and flexibility, not just base pay.
• Ensure all agreements are recorded in writing.

Legal and HR framework in the Netherlands

Under Dutch civil law, salary is an essential element of the employment contract. This means that an employer cannot change it unilaterally without your consent, except under very strict conditions. Only if there is a written amendment clause and a compelling business reason can an employer propose changes, and even then a court will assess whether the change is reasonable.

Collective agreements (cao’s) play a major role as well. Many cao’s contain detailed rules on job changes, placement in salary scales, and salary guarantees. Sometimes they prescribe that when you move to a lower role, your current salary is maintained temporarily or gradually reduced through a step-down scheme. It is therefore essential to study your individual contract, the applicable collective agreement and any staff handbook.

If no reasonable solution can be found regarding a new role and salary, the discussion may shift towards ending the employment relationship. Concepts such as dismissal, transition payment (the statutory severance in the Netherlands) and settlement agreement then become relevant, often in combination with outplacement support. In those situations, coaching helps you to look beyond the immediate salary issue and to take your next career step in a structured way.

• Salary is an essential contract term and cannot be changed lightly.
• Amendment clauses offer limited room and are strictly assessed.
• Cao’s often regulate placement, guarantees, and step-down schemes.
• Unresolved disputes may lead to dismissal plus outplacement support.

Practical steps when offered a new internal role with different pay

When you receive an offer for a new internal role that affects your salary, it helps to follow a clear step-by-step approach. Emotions can run high, especially if you feel pressured or fear loss of income. A structured process brings clarity and gives you more control over your decisions.

Start by clarifying the facts: which role is being offered, at which scale and step, and from which date? Ask for a written proposal if you have only received a verbal offer. Also clarify why this change is proposed: is it about your development, reorganisation, performance issues, or health-related reasons? The underlying reason strongly influences your legal position and your practical options.

Then seek independent advice, for example from a legal expert, trade union, company doctor (in case of health issues) or a career or outplacement coach. This is especially relevant if dismissal or a route towards a new employer is also on the table. Taking the time to reflect on both internal and external options helps you to avoid making a choice based solely on short-term salary considerations, while your long-term career and employability may benefit from a different route.

• Ask for a clear written role and salary proposal.
• Clarify the underlying reason for the change.
• Seek independent legal and career advice.
• Balance short-term income security with long-term career prospects.

Summary: balancing internal role changes and salary

An internal job change within the same company almost always raises questions about salary, even if the employer suggests that pay will remain unchanged. In promotions, a higher scale or step is common; in lateral moves, salary maintenance is often the starting point; and in lower roles, tension arises around possible salary reductions or transitional schemes. Your contract, collective agreement and the reason for the change together form the framework within which solutions are sought.

In reorganisation situations, an internal offer is sometimes presented as an alternative to dismissal and outplacement. It is then crucial not to look at the new role and salary in isolation, but to consider your broader career perspective, development opportunities and job satisfaction. Outplacement and career coaching can support you in weighing these options calmly and realistically.

By understanding your rights, preparing well for discussions and seeking expert advice when needed, you can turn an internal job change into a conscious and constructive career step. That way, you keep control over both your salary and your professional future, whether you continue your path inside the organisation or move on to a new employer.