Negotiating a payrise: What to do to get what you want

When negotiating a payrise, it helps to arm yourself with knowledge. Researching your options and knowing your strengths will boost your confidence and give you the best chance of the outcome you’re hoping for.

If you believe you deserve more pay, don’t be afraid to ask. It’s entirely reasonable to do so if you haven’t had a pay review for a while. It may also be that you’ve never had a pay review but you’ve worked in your role for at least a year, without any discussion of how you can work toward an increase. Although employers aren’t legally obligated to give you a payrise, they should generally consider them at least once every 12 months to hold onto good employees.

In this article, we’ll explore how to get a payrise using a range of approaches.

Research average salaries

Begin by researching the average salary range for your position in your industry and location. This will help you to know your worth and understand what other professionals in your sector are being paid. It also gives you a solid evidence base to back up your request with your employer.

There are a number of ways you can do this. Try searching for dedicated payscale platforms online, explore industry-specific websites, or refer to professional organisations that may provide salary information. These resources may offer salary surveys, reports, or guides tailored to your field. You can also look at online advertisements for job roles and see what rates of pay are attached to them.

If you feel confident asking other professionals what they’re paid, this is another tried-and-tested option. Engage with colleagues, friends, and professionals in your industry. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities or forums, and participate in networking activities. Conversations with experienced professionals can offer valuable

insights into salary ranges and trends.

The UK government also publishes various data sources that can provide salary information. For example, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) offers statistics on average earnings by occupation and industry. The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is another useful resource for salary research.

Our Salary Comparison Tool allows you to search by job title, industry and region. Refine it to find the most relevant rates for your role and ensure you’re getting paid what you deserve.

Track your achievements

Don’t approach your employer unprepared. To negotiate more pay from a strong position, you must clearly quantify the value you add to the company. Keep a record of your accomplishments, major projects you've contributed to, and any additional responsibilities you've taken on since your last pay review or since starting your role. This will help you build a solid case for a payrise based on your performance.

There are a number of ways you can do this, such as keeping written records in a notebook or journal, or creating a dedicated email folder containing any praise from colleagues and managers, or client feedback. Of course, you can also update your CV and LinkedIn profile with your achievements.

You could also keep an image-based record of successes, saving screenshots or other visual evidence in a desktop folder or a notes app on your phone. Being able to easily refer to your wins in this way will help you to quickly feel prepared with points of discussion before or during meetings.

You can record the measurable ways your achievements have benefited the business, using reporting tools or other sources of performance metrics. Focus on tangible outcomes and how you've added relevant value to the organisation. Also note down any recent training or qualifications you have completed, and collate any feedback from previous performance reviews, if you’ve had any.

Practise your pitch

Get comfortable speaking clearly and concisely about why you deserve a payrise. Practise putting your case forward, perhaps recording yourself or rehearsing with a friend. Memorise every area you’ll cover and get used to speaking them with confidence, from your contributions and increased responsibilities, to your improved skills, and any positive impact you've had on the company's performance.

Anticipate potential objections and prepare counter-arguments to address them. Practise the tone you’ll use too; it’ll help you to be open and positive, yet professional and assertive. It will help to know who exactly who you’ll be speaking to; will it be a team leader, manager or other stakeholder? This will help you to visualise the other person and practise your pitch accordingly.

Request a meeting with your employer

A face-to-face request is more difficult to turn down. It will also help your case to have dedicated time to discuss why you deserve a higher salary. Ask for a meeting with your supervisor or manager as soon as you’ve prepared your evidence and practised what you’ll say. You can either ask them in person or send them an email request. Choose an appropriate time when your manager won’t be busy with other priorities and can give you the focus you require, or give them the option to choose a reasonable date.

Asking for a meeting after you’ve had a recent work success could be beneficial, or after your company has publicised positive financial results. If your contract is coming to an end, or your role is changing in some way and you’re taking on more responsibility, this could also be a good time to make the request.

Attend the meeting

Start by thanking your manager for their time and then talk about why you’ve asked for the payrise, including everything you’ve prepared in your case. You can also demonstrate your ambitions and company loyalty by discussing your future goals, projects you're interested in, and how you plan to contribute further to the success of the business. Show your commitment and willingness to take on more responsibilities.

Having a clear idea of what you want is essential for a successful negotiation. When discussing the potential payrise in the meeting, you can communicate the figure you have in mind. Use your research as a starting point and go from there. Emphasise that you don’t need an answer on the spot and you appreciate that they’ll need time to think it over.

Listen carefully to your manager's feedback and suggestions. Be open to constructive criticism and demonstrate your willingness to improve and grow within the company. After the meeting, send a follow-up email summarising the key points discussed and any agreements reached. This helps ensure there is a clear record of the conversation and helps set expectations moving forward.

Have a backup plan

Remember that pay rises are not guaranteed, and there may be factors beyond your control that affect the outcome. It's essential to remain professional and maintain a positive attitude regardless of the outcome.

If your employer is unable to provide a salary increase due to budget constraints, be open to discussing other benefits that may improve your overall compensation package. This could include additional days of annual leave, flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, or performance-based bonuses.

What’s next?

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