How to negotiate a pay rise

In every job, there comes the time when you start thinking about a pay rise or a promotion. The prospect of having a conversation with your boss on this topic is usually quite stressful. How to prepare for it to make sure it is successful?

To negotiate your pay or work conditions, you’ll need somewhere comfortable. And what if you work remotely? You can always suggest a meeting in a coworking space at the very heart of Warsaw. Easy commute, a functional office and an available conference room where no one will disturb you: these are some of the advantages this solution has to offer – says Marta Kamińska from Solutions.rent.

How much of a rise?

First, think how much of a rise you would like. Consider your needs and monthly expenses. Your seniority and experience with the company also matter quite a bit. It may be a good idea to learn the current market rates – look through job postings and pay reports, ask around the industry groups, talk to your friends at similar positions.

Read also: Promotion – and What Next?

Prepare for the conversation

Expert preparation for the conversation is a must. Message: “I want a pay rise, because I’ve been working here for quite some time, and I deserve it” probably won’t carry you far. Write down all the points you want to make. Consider:

• development – the trainings, courses, workshops you’ve had since you started working here,
• accomplishments in the company – raw numbers will work best here. How much has the company made thanks to you? Do you meet your goals? Have you introduced any innovative solutions? What has your employer gained from them?
• positive feedback – it is a good idea to ask your direct supervisor for a recommendation, especially if they are not the ones making a decision concerning your pay rise,
• annual and quarterly evaluations – if your company has such an evaluation system, you show what you were able to achieve in previous months,
• average industry earnings – you can cite the amounts commonly paid in the industry, especially if your salary is significantly lower.

Most of us want a rise because of personal reasons – the change in family situation, constantly growing costs of living or other random events. It is not a great idea though, to talk about this in a business conversation. You need to list your accomplishments and present the benefits you bring to the company.

An inflation rise is an entirely different matter. In this case, a good practice is to talk about the current situation in the country, growing prices and such. That’s something different than merit-based pay rise.

Additional benefits

Sometimes, the company simply cannot offer you more money, but they can make it up to you in other ways. They are additional benefits which can take some load off your family budget. These include healthcare, gym membership, lunches, additional trainings and courses, increased remote work to office work ratio (you can save on commute – both time and money) or new equipment purchases.

You may also like: Six Events in Warsaw to Help You in Networking

What if you fail?

Even if you present a strong case, it may turn out that the company simply isn’t able to give you a rise at the moment – you should consider that too. What can you do then? Learn why you were turned down – the refusal could have been caused by the poor financial standing of the company. Ask if there is anything you can do, if there are any additional projects you can get involved in to make your pay better. If this doesn’t work, make sure to set the date when you will revisit the issue. Then, try again. If it doesn’t work again, think if you want to stay in your current company, or perhaps the time has come to look for different ways to advance your career.

Looking for office space to provide comfort to your team? Click here and check out the Solutions.Rent’s offices