I came across an interesting statistic published by AON. It was discovered 54% of US women feel they are “paid fairly for the work they do” vs 65% of US men. There may be various reasons behind this statistic, but negotiating your salary is something that many people do not feel comfortable with.
In asking for a raise, preparation and timing are key. Obviously each situation is unique. You first want to draft what you should say during that conversation. This may take multiple tries. Address the goals you accomplished. Bring up why the work you produce is valuable. I discovered most people lack communicating what was is in it for the employer or manager. Don’t leave that part out. Appealing to the needs of the organization will set your conversation apart from your co-worker’s request.
Now, you need to time that conversation strategically. Usually employees plan these conversations when they need the money. But that may not jive well with your employer’s timeline. Do you bring it up during a performance review? Or when your manager is setting budgets for the next fiscal year?
If you received your raise, make sure you properly thank your manager with a personal note. If there were others involved in that decision, make sure to thank them to. Then follow through with the commitments you made during that conversation.
Let’s say you didn’t get the raise you requested. If your manager comes to you and said that they took a hard look at things and cannot do it at this time, thank them for looking into the request. Assure them that you are still committed to continue with your best work and you would like them to revisit it when there is a better opportunity.
The next step you take is up to you.
