Convincing your boss that your deserve a better pay is not that easy. It takes a lot of guts to knock on your employer’s door and start with “hey I need more money”. However, if you apply the right strategy, you will be laughing all your way to the bank come end month.
These 5 ways will show you what it takes and how exactly you can convince your employer that you deserve a better pay.
1. Start by Outlining Your Achievements/Contributions
According to Muthoni Ndegwa, a Client Service Manager at Corporate Staffing Services, the easiest way to convince your employer is by being able to document and proof your achievements to the company.
Did you exceed your expectations? Were you able to deliver on what is expected of you? Do you have the proof to show that? And in case the role has been expanded, ensure you are clear about it and again refer to your achievements.
“You can’t just tell your employer to give you more money because you have added responsibilities, yet there are no achievements to your name. Once you are able to document your achievements, the conversation with your boss about money becomes very easy,” she explains.
You can learn more about what your achievements are in this article.
2. Do A Thorough Market Research For Your Position
Before you decide to request your boss for a salary raise, conduct a thorough market research for the position. This will help you set a realistic increase by comparing different salaries in your profession.
For instance, you may find that the market rate for your position is averaging Ksh 40,000 and yet you are earning Ksh 20,000. In such a situation, if you request for a double increment to your salary, you may not be able to get it immediately. But you can be sure to get something closer. This is because not all companies in Kenya pay their employees based on the available market rates, either because they don’t benchmark their salaries or they cannot afford it.
3. Know That Timing Is Very Important
Asking for a raise can be successful if you do it during the right time. So, if you are considering asking for a better pay, utilize your network within the office and find out how the company is doing in terms of profits.
If the company is doing well in terms of finances, then go for it. Also, you have to approach your boss when he is calm. Don’t go into his office when he is preoccupied because you will almost always end up disappointed.
4. Don’t Make It Too Frequent
There is no guarantee that your boss is going to say yes if you ask for more pay. If he does not agree with you, refrain from frequenting his office with the same conversation. Instead, give it some time because when you keep insisting, your boss will think that your focus is on the money as opposed to performance.
When the first conversation fails, give it a span of 6 months or request your boss for a timeline to when you can explore the discussion further.
5. Hone Your Negotiation Skills
One of the biggest reasons why most employees fail when asking for a pay rise is not having the right negotiation skills. You will find that people fail to get what they want because they want the money but do not have the facts to substantiate it, or are afraid to actually ask for it. The only way you can get your boss to pay you more is by walking to the negotiating table with something substantial.
Also, another way is to make reference to the job contract. Some contracts may stipulate that your salary will be reviewed after probation. But again, when you decide to use this approach, have your achievements ready to back you up. If you can demonstrate why you deserve a pay rise by bringing up valid arguments and presenting your case, no employer is going to say no.
Bottom line is that anybody can be worthy of a salary raise, but at the end of the day it depends with the strategy as well as the facts you put across to your boss..
