How to ask your Employer for a Pay rise

Asking for a pay rise is one of the most sensitive, yet necessary subjects to discuss with your employer. It comes with several types of emotions and a series of “Should I?” or “Should I not?” However, if you think you are doing better and deserve more than your current salary, you should say something to your employer. We understand that it is easier said than done and you may not know how to go about it. This is why we have prepared these few tips to help you pull off the process.

Read the Room

You need to be sure it is a good time to ask. If your company is struggling financially or undergoing restructuring, you may want to be considerate and pause your request. The current situation of your company may not be able to accommodate extra expenses, and this, you must come to terms with. On the flip side, if your company is having a swell time financially and has a history of rewarding workers for their contributions and efforts, nothing should stop you, ask away!

Gauge your performance 

While preparing to ask for a raise, you should also prepare to help your employer see why you deserve the salary increase. Take time to review your performance over the years, list out your achievements, and note your contributions and efforts. Also, rather than seeing through the activities you have performed, highlight the ideas you have suggested and the results you achieved. Before pitching to your employer, be convinced that you deserve the pay rise. 

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Decide how much pay rise you need

After you have measured your performance, you should be able to decide how much pay would be commensurate with your skills and hard work. As much as you may feel like you deserve a significant increase in your salary, be realistic with your request and try not to go all exorbitant. Evaluate your cost of living and see what has changed and what your current salary can no longer accommodate. All of these will help you decide how much increase you should request.

Pitch!

This looks like the toughest stage but it is not impossible. Different organizations have different cultures; therefore, while some may require you to put your pitch into writing, others may think a brief meeting is fine. If you are physically meeting with your employer, ensure that you are attending the meeting with a positive attitude and a very calm bearing. This is to help your employer understand every point you plan to make right from your need for a raise to why you deserve it. Be confident, reiterate your efforts and accomplishments, and maintain eye contact with your employer to confirm they are with you while you speak. On the other hand, if you have to write a letter or send a mail, be succinct yet expressive. You can say:

Dear Jones (or insert your employer's name),

 I hope you are very well. I am writing this letter to request a pay rise because my contributions and efforts to the company over the years have been excellent and would deserve compensation.

Since I joined this company, I have consistently worked hard to contribute to its success, I have worked more responsibilities than usual, and I have also done my best to push the financial records of the organization a notch higher. 

I have taken 7 certification courses to upskill and have excelled at all of them. My team members have had a great time working with me because of how well I inspire and motivate them. All of these reveal how well I have contributed to the progress of the organization and I intend to do more. 

I clearly understand that you didn't see this coming and a pay raise may not be part of your budget currently. However, considering my consistent hard work and my recent cost of living, I believe that a salary increase would be appropriate. I look forward to your kind response. Thank you for your time.

You may not get a response immediately but be optimistic and expect a positive one. 

Follow Up

If you are yet to get a response, you may need to send a follow-up email or check with your human resource manager to be sure your employer is working on your request. Try to give it time and hope for the best, your diligence will surely be rewarded.