How to ask for a pay rise?
You’re good at your job—you may even be great at it. You’re an integral member of the team and an advocate for the wider business.
You’ve been on the same pay for a while despite all this. You feel that you’ve outgrown your salary and no current promotion opportunities are available, but you would like to request a pay rise. There are ten things to remember when approaching this situation:
- Understand what you are worth
- When to ask for a pay rise
- Highlight your achievements
- Have realistic expectations
- Arrange the meeting
- Show your confidence
- Be ready for negotiation
- Stay professional
- Follow up
- Continue to perform
1. Research will help you understand your worth
You may believe your efforts are underpaid, but how do they compare to the wider market? Our Salary Guide Calculator allows you to benchmark your salary against others in your area of expertise and will show how different levels of experience pay.
Pro Tip: Don’t use industry average pay as the primary reason to ask for an increase; use it to back up your request.
If it turns out that your salary is already above average, don’t take it as a sign that you won’t be able to get a pay raise—you'll just need to build a strong case!
2. Timing is everything
When do budgets get laid out? When are pay rises historically granted? Consider the bigger picture when timing your pay rise request.
If the business has successfully been hitting targets (that you’ve contributed towards) and budgets are being signed off for next year, that’s a good opportunity to arrange a chat.
Consider the wider context beyond the company’s financial state. While many organisations are acutely aware of the rises in inflation and generally greater cost of living and proactively offer annual raises to employees, reflecting this, this is not the case at every employer.
It is definitely worth asking whether your company has considered increasing salaries in line with the current cost of living—but don’t use this as your only reason; always show your individual value to the organisation to back up your request as well!
3. Highlight your achievements
List your achievements with clear examples and data. Outline how you’ve added value, how you’ve increased your responsibilities, how you’ve overcome challenging situations, how you’ve positively influenced your team, or how you’ve increased efficiencies.
Pro tip: Use client/customer reviews, big wins for your team, or exceptional reports to corroborate your claim.
Break down your examples into bullet points for clarity:
- Increased team productivity by 20% through streamlined processes
- Led a successful client project that exceeded expectations, earning repeat business
- Upskilled junior staff, improving overall team performance
Also, highlight what you plan to do moving forward. Drawing attention to your future plans will allow your manager to focus on whether the upcoming value you can add equates to the pay rise you are requesting.
4. Be realistic with your request
Be ambitious but not unrealistic. If you go in with a figure well above your current salary or industry average, you must build a strong case to justify your request. The Salary Guide Calculator tool will help you understand what a realistic and justified pay rise would be for your role.
5. Arrange a meeting with your manager
The time has come to initiate the conversation. Email your manager to inform them that you want a discussion, include the ‘why’ with some rationale, and then arrange a meeting. This is the sort of topic that should be done face-to-face—or over a video call if you’re working remotely.
Pro tip: Sample phrasing for your email: "I’d like to request a meeting to discuss my performance and explore the possibility of a pay review. I’ve prepared examples of my recent contributions to our team’s success and look forward to your feedback."
6. Confidence breeds success
As with so many things in life, confidence is key.
Remain professional, speak slowly, keep to the facts and use positive language. If you personify the values and expected behaviour of the company, you will increase your chances of success.
7. Be ready for negotiation
It’s possible that your manager might not agree to the exact pay rise you’re requesting. Be open to other forms of compensation if a pay rise isn’t possible.
Pro Tip: you could also explore options like performance-based bonuses, additional benefits (such as extra paid leave), or development opportunities like training courses that could further your career.
Being flexible will show that you’re reasonable and committed to finding a win-win solution.
8. Stay professional
Regardless of the outcome, handle the discussion maturely. If your request is denied, don’t take it personally or let it affect your relationship with your employer.
Instead, ask for constructive feedback and clarify what steps you could take to make your case stronger in the future.
Pro Tip: Sample follow-up phrase: "Thank you for taking the time to discuss this with me. I appreciate your feedback and will work on the goals we discussed to revisit this conversation in the future.”
Maintaining professionalism will leave a positive impression and keep the door open for future discussions.
9. Follow up
If the timing or circumstances aren’t right for a pay rise, make a plan to revisit the conversation later.
Ask your manager to provide clear feedback and set measurable goals or targets to work towards. For example, you might say, "Could we schedule a review in six months to revisit this discussion based on the goals we’ve agreed on today?" This will demonstrate your commitment to growth and keep the possibility of a pay rise on the table.
10. Be prepared to take a step up
The discussion has been and gone. Successful or not, be prepared to add to your workload.
If you got the pay rise you wanted, great. Now, you need to prove that it was justified! If you didn’t, then fear not. Ask your manager for targets to work towards in order to be eligible for one shortly.
What to avoid?
It’s not just about what you do—it’s also about what you avoid doing. Here are common pitfalls to steer clear of:
- Don’t threaten to quit: Avoid ultimatums like "Give me a raise, or I’ll leave." This can backfire and harm your professional reputation.
- Don’t compare yourself to your colleagues: Avoid statements like "I work harder than [colleague] and deserve more." Focus on your own achievements instead.
- Don’t make it personal: Stay professional and avoid personal reasons such as financial struggles or life circumstances as your main justification.
- Don’t bring negative emotions: Anger or frustration will only harm your case. Approach the conversation calmly and constructively.
- Don’t skip preparation: Failing to back up your request with data, examples, or market research can make your case appear weak or unprofessional.
Show your manager why you deserve a pay rise.
It can feel awkward to ask your manager for a pay rise, but if you follow the advice above and show your confidence, it will be easier.
Do research around what other organisations pay for your role, gather plenty of resources to back up your claim, be realistic about what you can receive, use common sense to time your request well, do it in person, be confident, and show that you’re able to take that step forward in your career. Start your journey towards a better salary by researching your worth today with the salary calculator.
