Report: WWE Employees Unhappy & Frustrated Due To Reduced Benefits, Limited Pay Rises

Around 18 months on from the completion of the WWE-UFC merger into TKO and morale amongst WWE employees has declined due to reduced benefits, heavier workloads, and limited pay rises, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics has reported. Staff also noted they feel increasingly undervalued by the company. Morale has declined amidst WWE continuing to report record profits as the company is in a boom period they haven't experienced since the Attitude Era.

Since the completion of the merger with TKO, WWE employees noted their workload has only increased and some staff are working between 50 and 60 hours per week, particularly during WrestleMania season. Other staff, meanwhile, have noted they have been assigned to complete UFC-related tasks and they are concerned their workload will only increase when TKO completes the acquisition of Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and IMG from Endeavor.

Amidst the increased workload, WWE's stock purchase programme, which allowed staff to buy shares in the company at a 15 per cent discount, was scrapped when the TKO merger was completed in 2023. A peer-recognition programme which allowed staff to reward each other with points that could be redeemed for cash bonuses, experiences, or gift cards has also been removed, which has led to further frustration, while a long-standing perk in complimentary live event tickets has also been scrapped since the merger.

WWE's record profits have also not led to significant pay rises for staff, with multiple staff members telling Wrestlenomics they have only received a three per cent cost-of-living raise this year, which they state hardly keeps pace with the rising living costs in the Connecticut and New York areas where WWE's headquarters is based. Some employees had expected a significant raise based on past company practices but they were told this would not be the case due to budget constraints set by upper management.

All of these changes since the merger have left already frustrated employees feeling further discouraged, and one employee noted morale has declined to the point some staff are less willing to go above and beyond in the way they once did.

Staff in WWE are not unionised.

Away from WWE HQ, it was recently revealed the minimum salary on the WWE main roster is now $350,000 per year.

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