What to do if the number of duties performed at work increases, but the salary does not? They asked psychologist Pavel Zygmantovich about how to correctly ask for a raise.
Pavel Zygmantovich
psychologist
– All people have such a deep dream: to find a magic spell with which we can approach any person - and he will definitely hear, react and certainly do what we want. But the truth is that this is impossible. There are no magic words that everyone is waiting for - Paul immediately brings us down from heaven to earth. – In fact, the process of persuasion does not consist in what we say to a person, but in what he says to himself. That is, a person convinces himself. He hears our message and either agrees with it or denies it. This is called a cognitive response.
You can read more about this phenomenon in the book “Social Psychology” (authors: Robert B. Cialdini, Douglas Kenrick, Steven Neuberg), and I will only give an example from it. Imagine a situation when a man arrived at a hotel, checked into a room, and during some manipulations smeared the sheets with an ink pen.
In the evening, having met with friends, the man talks about this situation and asks what he should do: maybe go to the reception and pay the fine? And his friends tell him, don’t worry, this is a chain hotel - they have calculated such situations and included them in the room price. And the man thinks: “It’s true. If this were some small family hotel, then it would be a different matter. And so…” That is, it turns out that the person seemed to convince himself of this. And this is the most important thing: we do not convince a person, but he convinces himself.
The general idea is this: it is not we ourselves who select the arguments, but the person to whom the message is addressed. It is he who will argue and say something to himself. And we need to make sure that he either speaks in our favor, or at least does not object.
How to do it?
First of all, you need to understand that by yourself you mean nothing. A good person is not a profession, unfortunately. At work, you are paid money to perform certain duties. And you can perform them well or poorly, on time or late, with due diligence or not so much. Therefore, before you go to talk to your boss, you should carefully look at your work and evaluate whether you often do it properly. Analyze how many scoldings you have received lately, how many questions you ask your superiors, being unable to solve the problem yourself, and so on. It is quite difficult to adequately evaluate our own actions - we often see them in a better light than they really are.
How to argue correctly?
Use suitable arguments that will help you convince your manager that you are right.
- Increased responsibilities . Show with an example that you are currently doing additional work in addition to your main responsibilities. Explain that you are successfully handling the increased number of tasks, and the employer saves money by paying you a little more, instead of opening a new rate.
- You bring profit to the company . Your actions somehow help the company earn more, demonstrate this to the director. Prepare in advance and show in numbers how much more the company’s income has become thanks to your efforts.
- You can work more . If, over time working in the company, you have learned to perform your main responsibilities much faster, without skimping on quality, ask the director to give you additional responsibilities, while increasing your salary. An argument like this works if you don't have any major failures in performing core functions.
What is needed for a salary increase? Be a good employee
The first thing you need to get a salary increase is to be a good employee. And if you think that you are already like this, then know that you really are not. This is called “self-bias.” A person is inclined to believe that he is a great guy in any way, he is just not appreciated, not noticed, mismanaged, but this is not true.
Keep track of how much you actually work and how much you hang out on the Internet, look at social networks, play something, correspond with someone, drink tea, etc. And you will see that not eight hours per day are devoted to work, but much less.
Therefore, in order to evoke a positive argument from your boss during a conversation, you need to really work hard and be aware of how well you are performing your function.
What to read on the topic: Minsk leaders tell how to ask for a salary increase
How to write a request for a raise
For your request to be successful, it is better to combine oral and written influence on your boss. Verbally state the main points, a clearly formulated request, and the amount. In the letter, describe all the data that you have studied, calculated, your strengths, and achievements.
It is better if these are separate numbered lists, so the information is easier to perceive.
Why written form is more effective:
Speaking verbally, from excitement you can forget half of what you have been meaning to say for so long. During an oral conversation, the boss will most likely forget most of what you have been saying for so long. But you need 100% hit on target. If you started this conversation a long time ago, due to numerous worries and worries, you may simply not be able to restrain yourself and say too much and be rude to your interlocutor.
Letter outline
The letter should be clear, clear, without confusion and incomprehensible filler words.
First: the right approach to the leader. During your work, you have already been able to study its weaknesses and strengths, positive traits. Indicate them in the letter, write about the importance of your boss for the company, for the employees, what respect he commands from his subordinates.
Second: clearly state the problem and wishes.
Third: list the factors, facts, advantages, privileges, numbers.
Second, understand the real size of the increase
It is better to ask for a not very large amount as a salary increase. Not 50, not 40, or even 30 percent. For a person, in general, everything that is more than 20% is already significant. According to research, when an employee's salary is increased by 20%, he performs better for a period of time. Then, of course, he gets used to it and works again the same way as before the promotion, but still.
It is also important to understand that the boss, by increasing your wages, is actually investing much more - taking into account income taxes, the Social Security Fund and other things. Therefore, when you ask to add, relatively speaking, five rubles, in the boss’s head this amount grows to 10 rubles - and this scares him.
Therefore, ideally, asking for a salary increase of no more than 10% is the most realistic option.
Interesting
Scientists from the United States have calculated the best time to ask for a salary increase is Wednesday of every week. On Wednesday afternoon, four out of five bosses prefer to discuss salaries, according to British psychologists who surveyed 1,500 managers. The study was aimed at identifying patterns in the thinking of company leaders and yielded unexpected results. “Emotionally, a leader’s week is divided into repeating patterns, since the whole week is a series of meetings replacing one another. Their thoughts and patterns are easy to learn and can be used to your advantage,” said one expert. According to him, Thursday is a good time to propose an original idea, and Friday is the easiest time to ask for early leave, since management is most relaxed due to the end of the work week.
And European sociologists have established the time of day when it is best to ask your boss for a salary increase or promotion. It's one o'clock in the afternoon. It is at this point in the work cycle that management is in the most positive mood to satisfy the requests of subordinates. And the most critical moment is three o'clock in the afternoon. “Each cycle of biorhythms is regulated by the brain; it is on these cycles that a person’s psychological and physical state depends,” said research director Evie Bentley. “That’s why taking into account a person’s natural emotional peaks and natural mood patterns can help them achieve greater success in their personal life and professional career,” she said.
Fourth - give some kind of ultimatum
The key here is “sort of.” First, you look at how much you are worth on average in the market at the moment, otherwise you suddenly have nothing to raise your salary from. If you realize that you can get more, come to your boss and say: “Look. This vacancy costs so much, and this one costs so much. And I get paid less for the same work. Let's discuss this issue."
It is clear that it is in the interests of the boss (as well as all people, in principle) to obtain maximum quality for the minimum cost. We also want the most comfortable taxi, the most professional psychologist, the most comfortable plane, the most delicious bread - and preferably for minimal money. And this is normal, this is how the human psyche works.
So, when you come and say that you don’t get as much from this company as you could, then you don’t even say that you’re leaving, but the boss already understands that the employee is interested in the question, knows what, where and how much, and doesn’t I need to sharpen my skis, but at least think about it. And if you are a good employee, they won’t want to lose you. And if it’s bad, then don’t bother - say “thank you” that they’re paying anyway.
How should the conversation proceed?
So, you have thought through the main points that will be raised in the conversation with the boss and have decided on the meeting place. But what prevents you from moving on to real action is your inner fear that during negotiations you will forget everything or your voice will begin to tremble treacherously. To avoid any incidents, it is better to rehearse a dialogue with someone close to you in advance. It is important to start confidently, which will set the right mood for further conversation.
Set your intentions
From the first minute of contacting, indicate the purpose of your visit. It is necessary to direct the conversation towards a discussion of wages. Management, literally, in a few seconds will understand the seriousness of your intentions and whether it will be easy to refuse you. Therefore, speak as clearly, seriously and firmly as possible so that the boss does not have the opportunity to reschedule the meeting for later.
Give a good argument
Think in advance about how you will argue your request. There should be at least three or four arguments. Moreover, the most significant ones should be put aside in reserve if suddenly the negotiations go in a direction unfavorable for you.
An approximate list of reasons that can convince an employer that you are right
:
- The area of responsibility has expanded and the workload has increased, which was not provided for when applying for this position. During the working day, you manage to fulfill your duties and help someone else. However, they pay you for one.
- The qualifications have increased and the required work skills have been acquired. Add to this your drive and tenacity to achieve great success.
- Colleagues holding the same positions receive significantly more. During your work in the company, there was an increase in earnings for similar specialties and newcomers began to be accepted on more favorable terms. Therefore, it is worth restoring justice to you.
- Your contribution to the development of production is quite tangible. To confirm this, it is advisable to prepare relevant documents with figures and graphs.
- Thanks to the skills you have acquired, you can now complete your main work faster, leaving time for additional tasks. Ask your boss to expand the range of responsibilities, and the reward will be a salary increase.
Ask directly what you need to do to get the promotion you want. Depending on the answer, you can understand whether it’s worth counting on something or whether it’s better to look for another vacancy.
We recommend writing down all the arguments on a piece of paper. If you ever get confused, this will serve as a cheat sheet.
What is unacceptable to do
What techniques during a conversation with your superiors will not help achieve the desired result, but will only aggravate the situation:
- complain and lament about your hard life due to lack of money;
- cite certain life situations as arguments: adding a family, taking out a mortgage, the inability to go somewhere on vacation due to lack of funds, etc.;
- refer to the fact that most colleagues have already had their salaries raised a long time ago, but they have forgotten about you;
- threaten dismissal;
- be extremely persistent and defiant.
If you are not strong in conversation, then it is better to send an official letter to your boss, in which you outline your request and correctly justify it. Then you are guaranteed to receive an answer, since the manager is obliged to respond to such an appeal.
It is not in your interests to be offended by a refusal. It is important to maintain a good relationship with management if you want to continue working for this company. It’s better to clarify when you can return to discussing this issue and what is required of you in order for the salary to be revised. Dismissal should be done as a last resort, when all methods have been tried, but the income remains unchanged.
“Talking about a salary increase is not a request, but a negotiation”
You need to understand that when you decide to talk about a salary increase, you come to the director not to ask, but to offer to reconsider the terms of your employment. And this is a completely ordinary business procedure, in which you can do without emotions and bargain calmly.
If you come in the role of a child (and are afraid of the boss as a dad or mom), then it’s scary to talk. If you come as a confident professional, then there should be no problems. It must be said that a social role is a great thing. It is enough to try on some image - and your behavior will easily change.
Imagine that you are a CJSC (closed joint stock company) named after yourself. You have one shareholder - you, who receives all dividends. And go to the boss as one business entity to another. Don’t ask, but sell your services: working hours, qualifications, skills, and so on. By and large, you come to bargain. And this must be done respectfully, calmly, without bending.
Analysis
Don’t rush to run to your boss and beg for a promotion.
What is needed for this:
Abstract yourself, imagine yourself in the boss’s place so that your thoughts are objective. Assess your professional skills and salary level. Compare your skills with the skills of colleagues in the same specialty and category. On specialized websites, look for salary data for your position and determine, compile statistics, and analyze whether your income is really less than the average for the city or region.
To make a proper impression on management, it is worth taking care of specific facts, supported by data from the Internet or official statistical sites, where the boss can clearly see the picture that has developed in the labor market. Praying about a difficult life situation, “seven people on the bench” and an alcoholic husband are unlikely to make the right impression, so in this case you will not get a promotion.
The next step: write down on paper your own merits to the enterprise. Maybe you recently came up with a sensible proposal that increased profits, or you personally drew up the company’s long-term budget and concluded a profitable deal. Support your words with specific figures: by what percentage did the company’s income increase, how many people were retained to further carry out production tasks, for how many years the government contract is planned to be completed, etc.
Next, clearly define your qualities. But phrases like: stress-resistant, non-conflict, disciplined are unlikely to be suitable for such a case. Again, start from your position and professional skills. Perhaps you recently received additional education that your boss does not yet know about. Or would you like to improve your skills? The management should know about this first of all. Then it will think about the value of your stay in the company and, as a result, reinforce cooperation with an increase in wages.
After the above, start monitoring in the media: the Internet, newspapers, etc. At enterprises, salaries for one position differ. It all depends on the status of the company and the value of the employees. Try to compare all the points and calculate how much increase you can actually get.
“The boss depends on you no less than you depend on him.”
In general, it is scary to talk about a promotion or increase in salary only when there is no corresponding skill. You shouldn’t expect that everything will work out perfectly the first time - you also didn’t master the skill of driving a car in one day. A question of training.
I have repeatedly come across statistics according to which the acquisition of a new employee costs the company approximately two months of his salary. Therefore, high staff turnover is not beneficial for the company. And you need to understand that the boss depends on you no less than you depend on him. And, if you are not satisfied with the payment, you need to come and discuss the issue of a raise. Not every day, of course, but once a year is definitely possible. You can do it once every six months, but for this you need to be - see the first point - a very good employee.
From practice, I can say that most people solve this issue more cunningly - they simply quit and go to a new place with a more lucrative offer. This does not work in all professions: for example, a librarian is unlikely to be offered much more anywhere, but in many new areas it is easier. Simply by changing jobs, you can increase your rates. This option is also possible - why not.
How to ask for a salary increase
Conversation with the boss. It is this that often becomes the stumbling block and the most difficult part. It’s one thing to write a petition, and another thing to talk directly. Worry about the choice of place, time, and how to present your desire is not at all groundless, even though you have to fight it. Indeed, it is important to choose the right place, time, and words.
Preparing for a conversation with your boss
First check if you are missing anything. This is especially important if you have not been working in the company for very long. Perhaps, employees' salaries are increased periodically, and the next increase is just around the corner? Then, going to your boss and talking about it, you will find yourself in an awkward situation. This means that you need to collect information in advance. It’s also a good idea to find out in advance about the habits of the person who will make the decision - maybe just by going to him with such a request, you risk being thrown out of work? There are all kinds of leaders. Then you should prepare a backup option in advance.
Time and place
There are times when asking for a raise is most effective:
- The beginning of a new project with good prospects in which you are involved.
- Immediately after a successful deal has been concluded in which you were also involved.
- If you have recently added new responsibilities.
- If things are going well, the company is developing successfully, making a profit - success allows you to show greater generosity.
- You have received an offer from another company.
When such a situation arises, you need to choose a day. Anything is suitable, except for especially busy ones, during which preparations are underway for something important. In addition, the first and last working days of the week are often busy - that is, usually Monday and Friday. This means that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday remain, provided that there are no inspections coming soon, for which everyone is preparing.
The day has been chosen, but what about the best time to start the dialogue? It is desirable that the boss is in a good mood and relaxed, and therefore it is necessary to choose a calm moment in which, moreover, other employees will not constantly distract the boss with urgent questions. The best time is either right after lunch or at the very end of the day.
The choice of location has a lot to do with timing. The main recommendation here is not to try to carry on a conversation in a hurry, somewhere in the corridor, on the road, and so on. It needs to be prepared in advance and carried out thoroughly and calmly.
There is one more option that may seem contradictory to the previous one, but it can also be effective: make a request in an informal setting, for example, at a corporate party, perhaps do it in a half-joking manner, you can simply try to hint that you are a valuable person and a promotion won't hurt you.
What to choose depends on how it is customary to communicate in your company, and on the character of the boss. The party option is more suitable for small companies and democratic bosses. And in any case, the frivolous conversation will then have to be continued in the boss’s office, and there you will need to justify your position.
How to conduct a conversation and argue for the need for an increase
When making a verbal request for a raise, thinking through the arguments you will use is no less important than when writing a letter about a salary increase. Such a conversation should in no case boil down to a story about how you are bad with money; instead, you should justify the need to pay more by benefiting the company. This should be a purely business conversation.
Think over its course in advance - what questions you may be asked and what answers should be given to them. This will help you answer more confidently. Think about what valuable qualities you have and don’t be shy to mention them. Are wages no longer satisfactory because the currency has depreciated considerably and now the entire market has different standards? And this may well be mentioned! You should decide in advance on the desired size of the increase, find out what the situation is on the labor market, so that you know exactly what you can count on.
Based on the above, let’s create a brief structure of how the conversation should proceed:
- formulating a request for a salary increase;
- justification for what caused your desire - the currency is less valuable than before, there are offers from other companies, the volume or complexity of the work has increased, and so on;
- briefly about why you have the right to claim a higher salary - here it is important not to get carried away too much, but a little self-PR never hurt anyone, note how you are useful to the company, which means what it may lose as a result of your departure;
- transition to exact amounts.
It is important that all this is presented quite briefly. If the boss wants to know the details, he will certainly ask about them himself.
Good arguments for raising your salary
Show that you are ready for serious projects
Before you start talking about a promotion, let your manager know that you are capable of more. Express your desire to participate in projects that are more challenging than the ones you are working on. If you cope successfully, the manager will be able to meet your salary halfway, as he will see you as a promising employee.
If the opportunity arises, try acting as the boss yourself. This will contribute to the acquisition of leadership qualities and will not go unnoticed by management.
Offer new solutions
Management does not always encourage employees who ask for a raise but do not offer anything in return. Therefore, you can try to come up with solutions to optimize the work of a department or division, as well as reduce costs. An employer is always interested in employees who help increase the company's profits, show initiative and think ahead.
You can unobtrusively ask your boss what needs to be done to increase your salary next month. Ask if the manager has any complaints about the quality of work. Finding out these circumstances will help you decide in which direction to move and draw conclusions.
Tell us about your achievements
Before you start a conversation about your salary with your boss, prepare. Imagine that you are about to have an interview where you need to talk about all your achievements in your previous jobs. State all the results that were achieved. It is better to express achievements in numbers or rubles. Write a speech and rehearse it well. To rehearse, use a mirror or friends who are willing to listen to you.
Show with an example that other companies pay their employees more
Find on the Internet and print out vacancies similar in functionality to yours, and provide them to your manager. A good option would be to find similar information from competitors. If the wages are higher there, then this will be a fairly weighty argument for the manager.
Try going to several interviews with different companies and evaluate the conditions offered. It is quite possible that at your current job you receive a good salary, but at your new job you will have to work for a long time to receive that kind of money.
However, if a competitor is ready to hire you, this will serve as a good argument to your current employer. But you shouldn’t flaunt it. Tell them that you don’t want to leave your previous job, that you value your manager and that you fully intend to continue to benefit the company, but the salary you are paid is not enough to live fully and feed your family.
Talk about increased loads
If, in addition to your main job, you need to fulfill the duties of a colleague who has quit or is on maternity leave, or there are so many tasks assigned by management that you are practically never at home, then this is an excellent reason for talking with your boss about a salary increase.
Refer to job descriptions that do not specify the duties you currently perform. Offer your bosses to pay extra for all additional hours and work, and if they refuse, say that you do not intend to take on a workload beyond what is allowed.
Determine the amount of the increase
Managers of serious companies often regret the departure of professional employees whose salaries they did not raise in a timely manner. Therefore, when talking with your boss, decide on the amount of the increase that will suit you.
It is not necessary to disclose the exact figure down to the kopecks; it is enough just to name the interval in which your salary should be included. But be prepared for the fact that the employer may determine the new salary based on the minimum amount of your offer.
Assure the manager that dismissal will cost more
When an experienced employee leaves, especially in a management position, any company suffers losses. Even if a replacement is found immediately, it will certainly take a long time for the newcomer to adapt, work well with colleagues and get used to the internal routine of the company.
If the company trained you at its own expense, then your dismissal will hit its finances even harder. You will need to spend money again on training and education for a new employee, so it will be more profitable to simply increase your salary.
If management still refuses, then you can try to negotiate bonuses for non-standard loads. Not every employer is willing to officially increase wages, so such an offer is quite capable of retaining an experienced employee. There are situations in which an employer cannot find a replacement for a resigned employee for a long time and offers better conditions, if only the fired employee would come back.
Be ready to move
An employer may offer you to change the city in which you work and move to a branch in another region. In some cases, suitable conditions are offered to those who wish to move. In addition to increasing salaries, the company can also pay rent, travel and ensure rapid career growth. The employee may be immediately offered a higher position.
