It’s been hard for women in a post pandemic world to ask for a pay rise, or to even be valued in
the workforce. We don’t need to tell you that.
Knowing how to ask for a pay rise the right way increases your chances of getting a salary increase. There are many reasons why you should ask for one. For example, you may:
● show your initiative at work and exceed expectations.
● find your role has expanded.
● have completed extra training.
● prove to be a reliable employee by consistently meeting deadlines and producing accurate work.
● have more experience than you had when you received your last pay increase.
● believe that your salary should reflect the industry average.
Prior to the pandemic men were 4 times more likely to ask for a promotion or a pay rise than an equally qualified woman. Now post pandemic, it’s nearly 9 times that amount.
So why are strong, confident women still afraid of changing the pay gap and sticking up two fingers to the patriarchy?
Let’s sort that out.
First thing’s first. Ask yourself: “What’s the worst that can happen?”
Nervousness relating to talking about money can have many causes – a lack of self-esteem, reluctance to break cultural norms, fear of being seen as greedy or fear of rejection. No one
should think less of you for advocating for yourself. Any employer worth their salt will respect your confidence and ambition. If they don’t, that reflects the organisation’s character, not yours.
Research salary trends:
This allows you to know the salaries of other professionals in similar roles. More experienced, highly educated professionals usually earn salaries at the upper end of the pay spectrum. Location and the cost of living can also influence earnings. Browsing through job advertisements for similar roles in your local area can help you determine a fair salary. Ask for a little more than you want, as most managers will try to negotiate with you.
Schedule the meeting:
We know how you’ll feel writing the meeting request. It’s going to be tough. But we got you. Schedule a private meeting with your manager to discuss your salary. You can ask your manager for a meeting in person or via a video conferencing platform. Suggest meeting to chat about your performance, rather than your salary, as some managers would rather avoid financial discussions – fragile egos and such. Reserve at least half an hour so you can talk about your proposal in depth. Afternoon meetings are a good idea, as people are usually most relaxed after lunch – and more likely to agree to
opening the discussion. If you have a pending performance appraisal, you don’t have to schedule an additional meeting as these scheduled meetings are ideal opportunities for discussing salaries.
Remember the conversation goes both ways.
A negotiation in benefits should be approached in the same way as a salary increase with solid evidence and an open mind. However, do not assume that you can negotiate multiple increases simultaneously. It can be tempting to present ultimatums when you don’t get exactly what you
want – but this gets us nowhere.
Always end positively. Regardless of the outcome, make sure you finish the meeting on a constructive note and show your appreciation for the time you’ve been given.
Upon reflection, if you’re still not happy with the outcome of your negotiation, of course, it may be time to think about looking for another job where you feel the pay is closer to what you deserve.
Our community netwomen.co helps you be a better leader through coaching, mastermind sessions and global diversity, equity and inclusion meet & connect. Or you can book a call with Pinky for some tips on asking for what you want here.
Written by Mollie Houston, blogger
