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As employees, having our wages increased can be motivating. Conversely, when there is no pay raise in view and the cost of living keeps increasing, it can be discouraging to always give our best. 
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One of the most difficult things employees find to do in the workplace is demanding an increase in their pay. Most often, they feel that asking for an increase in their pay can make their employers furious. However, some of these notions are preconceived and even a misconception. Asking for a pay raise is normal and employees who haven’t had a pay raise in a while should demand one. Sometimes, employers might not be aware that you need a pay raise. It will take you to bring it to their attention. In this article, I discuss step-by-step instructions on how to demand an increase in your pay.

  • Ensure You Are Adding Value

It will be unreasonable to ask for an increase in your salary when you are not dedicated to the growth and development of the company you are working for. Therefore, if you want to ask for a pay raise you must ensure that you have added value to the company and you are still doing so. With this, you’ll have the confidence to do so.

  • Document Your Achievements

This is very important as you make case for an increase in your salary. For instance, document how you were able to increase the company’s revenue through your effort in sales. Also, document how you were able to give extra time or spend overtime in the workplace, which contributed to the growth of the company. You can also document how you freely trained the company’s staff or how you did jobs outside your role or how you executed projects. With this documentation of achievements, you can present a strong case for a salary increase.

  • Understand The Process

Understanding the company’s salary increase pattern before you venture into asking for a pay raise. Who knows, there might be a company policy on pay raises. Ensure you have gone through the company’s policy so that you can get directions and act accordingly. For example, some companies’ pay raises come periodically. It could be annually, biennially, triennially, and so on. While some are level-based; as you increase in rank, your salary increases. But in a case where such policies do not exist, you will have to rely on your wisdom and ask from older coworkers.

  • Study The Atmosphere

Studying the workplace atmosphere is very important when it comes to asking for a pay raise. You have to study the growth chart of the company. You have to ask yourself, can the company afford to increase my salary? It is simple to know. Where there is a geometrical increase in customers and in sales, which also means more profits, asking for your pay raise is ideal. As long as you are a contributor to the company’s growth, you have every right to ask. But in a case where the company is experiencing a financial crisis, it may be counterproductive to ask for a pay raise. 
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Further, study the mood and personality of your boss. Is he the easy-going or the tough kind? Observe your boss’ countenance. Is he stressed out, stable, or happy? Is he approachable, cold, distant, or simply demands professionalism in all things? Armed with this information, you can approach him appropriately. You can discuss the issue with senior colleagues so that you can receive guidance. 

  • Schedule A Meeting Time 

It will be unprofessional to pump into your boss in the hallway and discuss a critical issue such as pay raise. It is wrong to do so without first giving him or her notification or readying yourself. Your boss might be busy with paperwork or have a tight schedule, hence it’ll be inappropriate to walk in on him in his busy schedule and discuss your pay raise issue. It might look inconsiderate. Bosses are people too. It will be better if you and your boss decide a time, date and place for a meeting.

  • Prepare Your Speech 

Preparing your speech ahead of time will make you present your case properly and confidently. Imagine yourself as a lawyer, you will need to present your case in a manner that can convince your boss. For instance, you can start by thanking your boss for the opportunity to work with him, then you can proceed with how much you want the company to succeed and grow, and how much you have contributed to the growth of his company by reeling out your achievements. Then you can ask that your needs are increasing and you will need a pay raise.

  • Be Open To Negotiation 

During this discussion, don’t be hard-nosed or hell-bent on having it your way. The goal of this discussion is to reach an agreement that will be favourable to both you and your employer. Furthermore, discuss your increase in a percentage format. For instance, you might ask for 10% of your salary. But the most important thing is to be open to negotiation and of course, leave with an increase in your salary. Featured Image Source: Kelly Services
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This article was first published on 4th May 2022

nnaemeka-emmanuel

Nnaemeka is an academic scholar with a degree in History and International Studies from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He is also a creative writer, content creator, storyteller, and social analyst.

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