Everyone wants to get paid more for their job, but did you know that men are twice as likely as women to ask for a pay rise, according to the Chartered Management Institute. Just as shocking is the fact that three in five women have never even asked!
So what is stopping you from asking? Some of us may find talking about money awkward but whether or not you deserve to get paid more is what you really need to think about instead. You should not shy away from demanding fair pay for the work you do already and the skills you have.
Every manager out there will have heard “I need a raise”, so you can’t blame them for being a tad sceptical. So before you even book that meeting with your manager, it’s well worth taking some time to figure out whether you’re ready for that pay bump, from your boss’ point of view, of course. But where do you start? To that end, office design experts Diamond Interiors has six reasons to help you justify your pay rise request.
1. You’ve got the basics nailed
Before you even start looking at other areas, it’s worth stripping things right back to basics. And these points may be simple, but they’re still worth mentioning. Just because you’ve been with a company for a couple of years doesn’t mean you can afford to get complacent. Even in small businesses and start-ups, slacking off is obvious, and it’ll put you at the bottom of the pile for a pay rise.
Here’s a refresher:
- Show up on time or, better yet, always be a few minutes early
- Stay until the end of the day (unless pre-agreed)
- Dress appropriately
- Be polite, kind and courteous
- Respect your employees
- Be professional
- Have good attendance
2. You’re below the industry standard
Before you even book that meeting with your line manager, make sure you’ve got the numbers to back up what you’re saying. Spend some time researching, what the UK average salary is for your job role, factoring in the number of years’ experience you have, time in the job and your specific skill set. While you may not be able to find an exact comparison, it should give you a general idea of what you need to be asking for – managers much prefer it if you come to a salary negotiation with a figure in mind.
3. Your skillset has grown
Have your core skills improved in some way? Are you significantly better at your job than you were when you started? Attending training seminars, either in-person or online, and industry conferences is a great way to learn new things. Every sector is constantly evolving and developing; there’s always new knowledge to gain and these will always translate into your job.
Even better, has your work or skillset been directly responsible for increased revenue, more new products, breaking into new markets or saving your company money? If you can answer yes, it’s good news.
4. You’ve taken on more responsibility
Consider what you were responsible for when you first joined the company. Now have a think about whether that level of responsibility has increased and, if it has, what it has grown to include. Have people left your department and you have shouldered their work? Have you offered to step in and help with other departments? Doing much more than you were doing originally, depending on what that may be, is a surefire sign you’re ready for a pay bump.
5. You own a company process
A successful company isn’t just every person showing up in the morning, doing their exact job and then clocking off at the end of the day. The majority of these people, in some way, contribute to the running of the business in some shape or form. Do you also have organisation or administrational responsibilities? Do you contribute to office wellbeing?
If you can say that you are in charge, wholly or even partially, for a fundamental process within your organisation – and if that process has a big strategic impact in some way – then it could be time to book in that meeting.
6. You’re a good employee
No, scratch that. You’re a great employee. If you clock in at 9am and out at 5pm then, sorry to say, you’re probably not ready for a payrise. It takes a lot more than doing the bare minimum to move up a pay bracket. To put it simply, you need to put in a little effort outside the norm. Get involved with company activities, do a brew run, poke your head around the boss’ door and ask if they need anything doing, organise a birthday party or two.
Even if it makes you feel uncomfortable, you must be prepared to market yourself to get the salary you deserve. Above all, never underestimate your value. Good luck in your negotiations – and go get that pay rise!
