4 Steps to Successful Pay Raise Request for HR Professionals

Asking for a salary increase as an HR professional isn’t easy, even if you know you deserve it. But if you handle more responsibilities, you received an exemplary review on your performance as an effective HR professional, or you cut the cost of the company, then you need to talk to your employer about a pay rise.

I had a conversation with Sarah who has been following the advice we give to the professionals via the articles and the videos. With five years’ experience working in a well-established company, she was convicted that she needed more salary but didn’t know how to go about it.

Not only was she handling internal HR concerns but she was also working as an outsourced HR specialist yet her salary didn’t match what she was doing. “How can I request salary pay in our company,” she asked.

I connected her with a career coach who gave her four steps to asking salary increase.

1. Research

Find out the information about the market rates and compare them with your pay. Factor in the variables like your experience, responsibilities, and education. Understand your organization’s compensation policies and be ready to justify your request for higher pay by giving out the relevant reason why you want a salary increase.

For example in Sarah’s case, she wanted more salary because her workload had doubled, and she had additional responsibilities and she felt that an increased salary would motivate her. 

2. Know When and How To Ask

There are many factors to consider before asking for a salary increase. For example, timing is crucial because it is hard to request for increase when the company is facing a financial crisis.

It is important to request a formal meeting and keep the conversation professional to allow both parties to be comfortable when discussing the subject matter.

I have interacted with employees who use inappropriate approaches to ask for a salary increase, for example, a friend who threatened to resign when the company was laying off other employees and that made her lose her job.

3. Prove That You Can Offer Value

Mary is a HR & Admin Officer and after attending the previous HR training at CSS, she gained more perspective about HR and its applicability. When the manager noticed her improved performance and added more responsibilities to her, she was able to confidently negotiate her salary.

Enrolling in an HR short course will equip you with relevant skills that will help you succeed in your career and improve your productivity.

Your request should reflect the value you will bring to the role from the skills you have learned, and the experience you have gained because employers want to see if you have demonstrated a measurable impact.

4. Show That You’ve Gone Beyond

 Prove that you went beyond the responsibilities you were assigned by comparing your initial job description and your current roles.

When Mary saw the role of HR Manager that was paying close to what she was earning, she convinced the manager during the interview on what she would bring to the table and the manager agreed to double her salary.

Finally

If you believe that you need to be paid more for your work, you have two options: to find a new job that pays way higher than your current salary or ask for a raise from your boss. Asking for a raise can be the best way to obtain the compensation you deserve if your job roles have changed significantly and your performance has been boosted.

Want to develop your HR skills and prove to the employer that you are competent? Enroll in this Master HR Course.