Best approcah to ask for pay rise

A

AMB

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Any advice on asking for a pay rise. I was not intending on giving any ultimatums but just stating my case clearly ie level of experience etc and the going market rate.

I know it is risky venture and if the outcome is very negative am willing to look for another job.

Any comments
 
Have your circumstances within the company changed recently / since your last pay rise? When is the last time you had a performance review? Are performance reviews written into your contract anywhere?

If you can point to any substantial change / extra work load / recent successes, you could ask for a performance review meeting and raise the money question then?

also, what is the company's status - are they going through a good period or not - if improved trading conditions, then teh time might be right for an ask

It is hard to ask for a performance review - this will be taken up as a request for a salary review as well though - and once you are in the review situation, don't feel any qualms about asking the difficult money question - your employer should expect it, even if he/she does not like it....

let us know how you get on ...
 
Fully agree with the 'no ultimatums' approach. As a manager, once someone gives me the ultimatum of 'I'm leaving unless ....', I consider them to be gone. Even if I address the current issue, it's only a matter of time until they come up with a new reason to go.
 
Leaving

I cannot agree with the above statement , however i might be true depending on the particvular level of work one is involved in.

My experience has shown me that people will always find reasons to leave and you must give them reasons to stay , remember people do not just leave a job, they seek employment elsewhere first (if they are anyway stable) , but genuine grievences like transfers, education grant , pay rise , job descrption ,appraisals, all contribute to staff retention. Howeer it is usually down to management stubborness or blindsightedness that they do not recognise the value of employees ,which is the most common reason for leaving.
 
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Any HR practitioner will tell you that a performance apprasial should NOT be linked to the issue of pay.

If you believe you are entitled to a pay rise based on your CURRENT work, make the case clearly and impassionately (preferably in writing) and seek a meeting to discuss that matter. Avoid making an ultimatum. As Rainyday has pointed out, they're interpreted as threats and are never well received. You may also be faced with the prospect of making good your ultimatum and if you don't you'll look foolish.

The performance appraisal process is often used as a means of extracting greater productivity for future pay rises. This shouldn't necessarily be the case.
 
Re: ..

Any HR practitioner will tell you that a performance apprasial should NOT be linked to the issue of pay
Click to expand...
Excuse me? So what is pay increase based on, if not performance?
 
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You're excused.

Payrises can on course be awarded for any reason you like but they should not be discussed in the context of the performance appraisal review. This should be about discussing performance-related issues only.
 
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Rainyday could be my manager......I think I need to go home and lie down!!!!!
 
Pay rise

Hi thanks for the advice,

I went in and explained calmly and, believe it or not, got a pay rise.

I think they were thinking about it but if I had not asked I would not have been offered it.
 
Re: Pay rise

This should be about discussing performance-related issues only.
Click to expand...
Why? Are you trying to train your employees that there is no connection between their performance and their salary?
 
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No. It might sound a bit airy-fairy, but the appraisal process, if it's to be carried out properly, should be a frank two-way-communication process aimed at identifying, discussing and, eventually, agreeing performance targets for the period ahead. It should encompass such aspects as training/development which might assist in achieving these targets. Mutual buy-in should be the intended outcome.

It's arguable of course as to whether financial reward contributes to mutual buy-in. While it is of course important, it is not one of the primary factors affecting motivation. Putting the matter on the agenda of a performance appraisal meeting is the equivalent of one party bringing in a loaded gun to be waved about threateningly. It's not conducive to the frank and open discussion that the performance appraisal is supposed to be about.

However, it's reasonable that employees should be made aware, independently of the appraisal process, of what they need to do to secure a pay rise and/or promotion and that in absence of doing what's necessary, they won't get a pay rise/promotion. This way, they can't quibble.

My point is that these requirements shouldn't be communicated in the context of the performance appraisal process which should be about seeking a mutually workable outcome - not a pointscoring exercise.
 
Re: ..

I disagree - from both the employee & the manager point of view. As an employee, the salary stuff is absolutely critical to me, and if not covered at the review discussion, I'm likely to spend more time thinking about the money. Money is the prime motivating factor for me in work. I work for money, not for kicks or social interaction.

As a manager, I want to directly relate performance to financial rewards. Seperating the two seems entirely artificial & impractical.
 
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Then I stand corrected.

Clearly the four years I spent studying the subject has been time wasted. In my innocence, I listened to talks from highly qualified lecturers and speakers and read extensively on the subject from business leaders throughout the world.

In hindsight, all I really needed to do was to log onto this website and tap into Rainyday's tunnel-visioned wisdom.

How could I have been so naive?
 
Re: ..

I can play that game too.

Oh sorry - I was entirely wrong. Obviously your years of study have given you deep insight into the workings of employee psychology, and my own deviant thinking is simply representative of my deviant personality and would not relate to any other employee in the world. Apologies for wasting your time.....

Now if you want to talk seriously, we can talk about the issues involved....
 
Re: ..

As a manager, I want to directly relate performance to financial rewards. Seperating the two seems entirely artificial & impractical.

I'd have to agree 100% with rainyday on this one.
Work-related reviews and pay-reviews go hand in hand. My main motivational factor when I get up at 6 every morning is the pay cheque I get at the end of every month.

I've never had a review in my life which didn't involve money as well.
 
motivation

is money the only motivating factor? Have a look at the Happy job vs Good (well-paid) Job thread.

People often like a job in which they feel appreciated over the one that pays more.................... and *part* of that appreciation is shown in pay. I guess we need both the money and the day-to-day rewards.
 
The different approaches recommended by people and the way in which this particular workplace issue was ultimately resolved might be of interest in this context too:
 
Performance review

I would have to agree with Spacer, a performance review is a performance review

There would be no point in having a performance review if a company was having financial problems and could not afford to give out pay rises at the end of any review period, if it was only to discuss a pay rise (or not)

Unfortunately, in a practical sense for smaller sized entities, a perf review and pay rise discussion usually go hand in hand
As there is a lack of time/motivation for performing these HR functions correctly
 
Re: Performance review

I would have to agree with Spacer, a performance review is a performance review

Hi Oilean,

If a performance review is a performance review...what is a salary review based on?
 
Re: Performance review

Unfortunately, in a practical sense for smaller sized entities, a perf review and pay rise discussion usually go hand in hand
As there is a lack of time/motivation for performing these HR functions correctly
Click to expand...
Don't assume that the combined perf/pay review is due to lack of time/motivation. It may well be that this approach is intentional.
 
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