In the past year, almost every second employee has postponed the demand for more pay until after the pandemic. Only about a quarter asked for more money or said they still wanted to, according to a study by job platform Stepstone. But even in difficult economic times, it is not taboo to enter into salary negotiations with your supervisor – otherwise your colleagues will do it, and if you are late, the pot may be empty.
In addition, not all companies lost sales last year; there were also quite a few profiteers from the crisis. In addition, companies must try to retain good employees, especially in times of crisis. And those who do good work should also be well paid.
However, the question for more money should be well prepared at all times, regardless of the pandemic situation. Here are 4 tips to do so.
#1 Consider smart arguments
Make well-considered arguments that can be used to explain why you deserve more money. Your rent increase, the promotion of a colleague or simply your ten years of service are not good reasons for this. Approach the conversation a bit like a job interview: Why should the company specifically pay you more salary, what special skills do you have, what successes can be traced back to you? Give examples: The new clients you landed, the supplier’s prices you successfully squeezed, the work processes you significantly sped up.
#2 Make a reasonable demand
If your boss agrees in principle that you should have more on your pay slip, the question of how much is at issue. Of course, everyone would like to have 500 euros more net in their account every month, but as a rule, the possible jumps are smaller for most people. It sounds a bit puny in percentage terms, but as a rule, if the job stays the same and there are no new tasks with more responsibility, about three to five percent more money is standard. If, on the other hand, your request is linked to a promotion, you can expect a 10 to 15 percent increase in pay. In both cases: add another five percent in advance to give yourself room for the usual haggling. And if you’re still unsure, online salary calculators are good sources of information to help you classify yourself better.
#3 Have alternatives ready
If it turns out during the negotiations that your superior appreciates your achievements but definitely does not want to spend more money for them, you should ask for alternatives. This could be, for example, more vacation days, special further training, private use of a company car or payment of the cost of a monthly public transport pass. Consider an alternative in another respect as well: after all, if your boss doesn’t agree to anything – and perhaps for the umpteenth time – you should consider drawing consequences from this instead of dutifully going back to your desk without a raise again.
#4 Waiting for the right time
Since salary negotiations are usually not spontaneous, you can of course never know whether your boss is having a good or rather bad day at the moment. However, it is best to ask for such an appointment when a success, such as the pitch of a lucrative contract, is still fresh and present in the mind. Then you can also refer to your concrete participation in it right away. In principle, you should always have been with the company for some time; directly after the probationary period, you should only knock on the door if this was expressly agreed upon when you were hired. Bite with everything on granite, remain in any case calm and factual, in order not to lose the chances for the next meeting of this kind. It may also be advisable to arrange to meet again in six months or so right when we break up. Experts advise negotiating every year in smaller companies, every two years in large corporations.
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