Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

Although this is surely associated with significant career steps. In my opinion, such leaps are rather unusual at > 50 years. Still, congratulations on this increase o_O

At >50 years, most of the loan should usually be paid off, so large jumps are no longer quite as crucial in terms of financing. Usually, one starts building a house around the age of 30, and such leaps until one is 40 are definitely easier and also more important in terms of follow-up financing. I just checked, and even without changing employers and without collective bargaining agreements, I earn 67% more today than 10 years ago. Although today I do hold a more responsible position than before.

Have 49% more salary here in the non-union company than 10 years ago without promotion and without significant change in tasks. Also didn’t have to negotiate much. No one knows if it will continue like this.

So you’re just getting inflation compensation or what? That’s not bad.

You just get inflation compensation or what? That's not bad.

There are even neighboring countries where this is legally anchored, cool thing, only the employers groan about it.

Inflation has been offset on average over the last 10 years. 8 of those years were essentially without inflation, yet salaries have still increased!

But this also shows quite well why I don't see it as too critical when a young person building a house has a somewhat tighter household budget. Of course, especially if salary cuts are expected soon (e.g. parental leave or similar), then you should definitely view that more critically, but if it stays in the "tight but manageable" range, then I often find that still okay.

With us (also no collective agreement), annual reviews are common, after which the employer also proposes a salary adjustment. You can accept it or then go into negotiations afterwards. Sometimes they hold firm for the year, but you can also, for example, negotiate the next year in as well, which then works a bit better.

Unfortunately, I quickly realized that I had undersold myself at hiring and had been struggling for several years to catch up PLUS to negotiate an increase for expanded areas of responsibility. Switching to another company in a similar position, I would probably still get more, but now with the recent increases, I have reached an area where I am quite satisfied.