When everyone needs a pay rise, 10 ways to ensure your request is heard

As the cost of living soars, it may seem like a good time to approach your boss for a pay rise. But with businesses under increasing cost pressures, persuading your boss that you deserve a salary increase won’t be easy.
Sue Andrews , HR expert at KIS Finance, has been looking into the best ways to make sure that your request is heard.
 
1.  Don’t just use the cost-of-living argument
Everyone is affected by the current rising cost of living so basing your argument for a pay rise on this is unlikely to succeed.
Businesses are also suffering from rising costs and won’t automatically want to raise staff wages as this will further escalate their costs.
 
2. Don’t compare your salary to colleagues
It’s tempting to use this as a basis for asking for an increase but making it personal is a mistake and can have a negative effect on how your boss reacts to your request.
Doing your research and knowing what the going market rate is for your type of role is a far more professional approach.
 
3. Don’t make emotional argument
Base your negotiation on facts and go in well prepared.
 Present clear evidence to your boss of what have you done in the last year that has positively impacted on the business.
What have been your key accomplishments?
 
4. Be realistic
It’s no good asking for an unrealistic sum as your boss won’t take you seriously if you appear to have plucked a figure out of the air.
 
5. Timing is key
Asking for a raise when you have just delivered a really good piece of work or had some positive feedback from a customer is always a good time.
Also be aware of the company’s financial position. If things are really tight, you may be better to wait and make your request at a later date rather than get turned down.
 
6. Put your request for a meeting in writing
This not only gives your manager a chance to prepare but also makes your request more formal, and therefore harder to ignore.
 
7. Confidence is essential
It’s natural to be a bit nervous when asking for a pay rise but you need to display confidence to show that you really believe you deserve the increase.
Fidgeting or not making eye contact when you speak undermines your authority, so it’s important to focus on your delivery.
  

8. Be prepared to consider benefits outside of hard cash
Your employer may genuinely not be in a position to give you a salary uplift, but they may be able to improve your benefits package in some other way.
If you think this may be the case be prepared to ask for alternatives such as more holiday, an increased car allowance or perhaps new training and development opportunities.
 
9. Remain professional
Managers are human too and they won’t like feeling that they have been pushed into agreeing to something.
If things become heated, you’re not only unlikely to get a raise, but you may also find it damages your future prospects too.
 
10. Never threaten to quit over pay
However strongly you feel that you deserve a pay rise, threatening to quit if you don’t get one, is a highly risky strategy.
Even if you succeed in getting the raise you are likely to have permanently damaged your professional reputation.