Negotiating a new salary package or a pay rise can be one of the most challenging and stressful things that we can do. We often wrap up our sense of worth in how and what we are paid. If we have any doubts about our value, then this is when it is most likely to come through. A properly put-together proposal on why you warrant a salary package or pay rise, delivered in a reasoned and dispassionate way, can be a real game-changer in how you feel about your work and how your employer values you.
Preparation is key
Before you go storming into your line manager’s office demanding a pay rise, it is important to sit down and gather the information that will justify your request. This also means asking yourself some tough questions about why you would give yourself a pay rise if you were in your boss’s position. Start by thinking of what you are asking for and why you are asking for it. Organisations are interested in performance and how employees serve their purpose of growth and profit. They want and need people, but only if they do what the organisation requires of them, so always start by looking objectively at your own performance. If you have a performance rating scheme that is fairly administered, then start there. If not, look to the things that you have achieved over the last couple of years that have benefited the organisation.
Have a clear strategy
Have a best and worst position (eg, best being a 30% increase and worst being 5%), but remain flexible. You need to go into negotiations with a completely open mind. This can be difficult, but you need to be willing to accept that you may get nothing and to feel comfortable with that. This is not accepting failure, but more getting your ego out of the way so you can stay calm, considered, and reasoned during negotiations.
There are some important considerations when going into negotiations. Timing is key. If your organisation has just gone through a major down-sizing or posted disastrous results, then no amount of excellent negotiating will help. There are a number of things that will help you in terms of how you approach your task.
Top negotiation tips
Do:
- Have your facts with you to argue your case clearly.
- Pick your moment. Make sure your boss is likely to be receptive.
- Make sure that you are feeling calm and focused ahead of any meeting.
- Have a best- and worst-case scenario in terms of what you are expecting.
- Stay calm and connected to your breath throughout the meeting.
- Be honest about your own performance and skills.
- Be willing to accept that things may not go your way. (Think win/win.)
Don’t:
- Be pushy.
- Make comparisons with other colleagues and their work or pay levels.
- Threaten to take alternative action (eg, leave) even if you think this is what you might do.
- Get emotional during the meeting.
- Become attached to the outcome.
- Allow your nerves to get the better of you.
- Talk too much or veer off the key points.
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