12/16/2018 1 321 0 Reading time: 13 min. Rating:
Author
: Konstantin Bely
In the previous article How to increase your salary? I talked about the factors that can and should be used to justify a petition to management to increase the level of wages. Now let's talk about how to ask for a salary increase from your manager without getting rejected. I want to say right away: all this very much depends on the psychological characteristics of the personality of a particular boss, so there can be no universal advice here.
So, statistics show that about 50% of hired workers in Russia over the past three years have had a conversation with their superiors about raising their salaries. And about 50% of those who asked achieved what they wanted: their wages were increased. So even based on cold statistics, your chances of getting a salary increase when you approach your manager are approximately 1/2. Well, if everything is done correctly, then they will be even significantly higher. So, what is the correct way to ask for a salary increase?
How to write
There is no form for writing this type of request. Therefore, it needs to be compiled in free form, taking into account some features.
At the top of the header we indicate whose name the address is addressed to. Usually this is your full name. entire position. Typically, the application is addressed to the general director.
Then you need to indicate who the appeal is coming from: full full name. and position held.
Next comes the title of the document: “Application for a salary increase” (an example can be seen below). In its main part, you need to convincingly convey why the employee is asking management to consider an appeal for a salary increase. It is worth talking about your real successes, as well as the achievements that you have achieved in this position in the company. If possible, prove that labor has become more expensive. Therefore, it is better to write clear numbers, i.e. how much the indicators in the employee’s personal responsibility field have increased, to indicate the benefits and profits for the company that it acquired thanks to the employee.
Also among the reasons for raising salaries may be:
- increase in labor time;
- expanding the scope of responsibilities;
- inflation.
Use an exclusively business style, write briefly and clearly, without comparing with other employees in terms of pay or amount of work. You also need to specify the desired amount of increase. And the current salary should be indicated. Having completed this part, you need to put a date and signature.
A collective appeal is drawn up according to the same principle, but the following information is required:
- FULL NAME. addressee;
- full name of the company;
- document's name;
- FULL NAME. and the position of an employee who will represent the interest of the team (optional);
- reasons for the need to increase salary;
- date of conclusion and numbers of employment contracts of all applicants;
- current salary and desired amount;
- date of writing;
- signatures of all interested parties.
A sample application for a salary increase can be found below.
Case No. 1
The head of a large retail company left the press service. One of the department's leading specialists decided that this situation was an excellent opportunity to ask for a promotion. First, he talked to his ex-boss: he asked for feedback and an objective assessment of his potential leadership abilities.
After this conversation, the boss, who was about to leave, promised that he would recommend the candidate to his boss, and helped organize a meeting between the subordinate and the marketing director.
The leading specialist prepared a presentation - a short report on his key achievements and roles in projects, as well as several ideas that he is ready to develop in his new position. After this, the specialist was asked to undergo competency testing, which helped determine the employee’s strengths and weaknesses.
Photo: Unsplash
As a result, the marketing director decided not to hire an outside professional, but to appoint an acting specialist. head of the press service for a period of six months with the previous salary retained. If the specialist performs well, then in six months he will officially move to the position of head of the press service.
Consultation: how to apply for a salary increase
The employee’s salary is established by the employment contract in accordance with the current employer’s remuneration systems (Part 1, Article 135 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).
Remuneration systems, including tariff rates, salaries (official salaries), additional payments and allowances of a compensatory nature, including for work in conditions deviating from normal, systems of additional payments and incentive allowances and bonus systems, are established by collective agreements, agreements, local regulatory acts in accordance with labor legislation and other regulatory legal acts containing labor law standards (Part 2 of Article 135 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).
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results
51% of Russians asked for a salary increase at least once. Of these, 57% were men and 45% were women. Women achieved promotions 32% of the time, while men achieved promotions 29%. Those. in 2/3 of cases, employees were refused. This is something to keep in mind. (Source: superjob.ru among 10,000 Russians with permanent jobs).
Most often, wages are increased by no more than 25% at a time. But if your salary is really low, you can ask to increase it to the market level.
Who to give it to
You need to clarify who in your company is responsible for the distribution of the wage fund.
As a standard, applications for a salary increase should be submitted to the head of the human resources department or directly to the head of the company or through the secretary. And if the company has an electronic document flow, then the application can be sent electronically.
Sample application for salary increase
Sample of a collective application for a salary increase
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.
What to do if the manager agrees
If the answer is positive, then the process of increasing the salary consists of the following steps.
Step 1. Another agreement to the employment contract is concluded.
It is certified by both parties with their signature: the employee and the employer, and each is provided with their own copy. The document indicates the contract number and the updated salary amount, as well as the date from which it was established. And it is noted that other clauses of the contract remain unchanged.
Step 2. An order is issued.
This will be a document in any form, with a number and date. It states:
- Company name;
- FULL NAME. and a specialist position;
- new salary size;
- the period from which the new salary is established;
- No. and date of the basis document (additional agreement to the employment contract).
The order is signed by the head of the organization and the person responsible for its execution. From the moment specified in the document, the employee is accrued and paid an increased salary.
When to ask?
It is important to choose the right moment for such a request. For example:
- during the annual personnel certification,
- after delivery of a successful project,
- after closing the period with a profit,
- after key employees leave
- after increasing your load
- during sales growth
- taking a break after big (your) failures
- at a time when the manager will not be distracted (for example: early morning, late evening, weekend)
- you have actually achieved a higher level of competence and experience and are worth more
- when the manager is in a good mood (if there is an opportunity to catch this moment, it is better to do so)
- etc.
What to do if refused
If, unfortunately, a refusal is received, the employee will receive an oral or, most likely, written response, which will not entail any changes in the employment contract.
Just because you were rejected today doesn't mean you can't try again. It is possible, and even necessary. Give management time to think, and during this period make any other changes that will speak in your favor, work on increasing your efficiency. And again, raise the issue of promotion for discussion, supporting it with a report on the successes achieved and prospects for the future.
But I would also like to note that an employer who values his employees raises their wages on time in accordance with their professional growth or in connection with the expansion of their work responsibilities. And if for a year, two, three you work with full dedication and demonstrate undeniable success, but your salary lags behind your professionalism, and the employer repeatedly refuses - draw conclusions. High-quality work, knowledge, and experience should be appreciated.
Case No. 3
The head of the marketing department grew up within the company from the position of assistant and was paid significantly below the market. In response to hints about a salary increase, the employee received vague comments that “he was already given a chance to become a director” instead of hiring an accomplished professional from the outside.
Photo: Unsplash
The manager was not convinced by such arguments, and he decided to act more persistently. The key factor was the digitized presentation of the department’s achievements over the past few years, analysis of the company’s efficiency and results, thanks to implemented projects. As a result, the candidate managed to agree on both a salary increase and an improvement in the bonus scheme.
What can't you do?
- Compare your salary with other people's salaries
- Indicate the duration of your work in the company. Loyalty from a company's employees is very important, but that's not what money is paid for. And it is right.
You should get more money for working BETTER than others, not longer than others. — MoneyPapa (c)
- Asking for a raise just because someone left. You only need to justify it by increasing the amount of work and responsibility.
- Blackmail by leaving. Personally, in the vast majority of cases, I let the employee leave if I was given an ultimatum.
- You received a new diploma (additional education), so your salary should be increased. Should not! ))) Your crusts are only valuable if you help the company earn or save more money.
- Get into arguments and prove something in the moment (it’s better to take time, cool down and prepare counterarguments)
- Saying you're bored (I've always put bored employees at the top of my list for dismissal). It’s not your work that should make you “not bored”, but you should make its work not boring. Work is not an amusement park.
- “I need a promotion or bonus because... I have two children, a sick grandmother and a mortgage.” It is better to leave such conversations about your problems for kitchen gatherings and tell your grandmother about them. Perhaps she will be interested in it, but others are not interested.
- Raise your voice, ingratiate yourself, cry, manipulate.
What to do in case of refusal?
Think about your escape routes. If you cannot get the cash increase you need, can you count on a smaller increase, as well as some other guarantees, benefits, bonuses, social benefits? packages, advanced training courses, etc.
Try asking for a higher position.
This can help you recoup your lost raise when you look for a new job.
Ask what you must do to get the amount you need. If your request for a raise is denied, ask what you need to do to get the amount you need. Try to clarify what indicators (specifically, in numbers) and by what time you need to do it in order to get the desired salary. Once you have met the conditions, you can return to this issue again. Based on the answers, you will understand whether you should look for a new job or not.
