How to Ask for a Salary Increase at Work

There are many factors that come into play when it comes to employee engagement, empowerment, and employee happiness. But arguably, one of the most, if not the most crucial aspect is employee remuneration.

Whether you’re an employee working in HR, or you’re an employee working in any other function of the organisation, everyone has certainly gone through a phase where they feel they deserve more.

But how do you ask for it? Here are some proactive ways that you can ask for a salary increase, raise, or increment at your current job from your employers. It's that time of the year again, after all.

1. Wait for the right time

The first thing you should be doing is to look at the salary increment cycle at your company. If the organisation usually does remuneration adjustments and increases at certain points during a year, these are usually better opportunities for you to speak to your manager/HR about a potential raise.

Try to raise the topic a few weeks prior to these dates, as it can often take time to process or assess a request for a salary increase — particularly for larger corporations.

2. Show that you deserve it

It’s easy to simply claim that you deserve a raise at work (don’t we all?). But before you make any requests, take a long, hard look at the work you’ve done and the value you bring to the table at your place of work.

Try to have evidence of your achievements at work, and if possible, you should already have spoken to your manager during previous conversations about how you can grow within a company towards a potential promotion or salary increase at work.

3. Ask the right questions

When asking for a salary increase, you should (as mentioned above) highlight your contributions to the company and your achievements. Then, make your request.

Some examples:

• I believe that I’m a strong contributor to the company due to A, B, and C. As such, would it be possible for me to be rewarded with an increase to XX?
• As I’ve achieved my goals in 2023, would it be possible to request for an adjust to my remuneration to align with my growth and objectives for 2024?

If the answer is no, then…

4. Find out how you can get a salary raise in the future

Sometimes, a salary increase or raise (or promotion) isn’t granted. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s your fault, or something within the ambit of your control. Instead, with large organisations, there are many factors that come into play — ranging from overall budgets, salary bands, or existing HR policies.

Don’t be downtrodden. Instead, use this opportunity to highlight to HR or your manager that you’re looking for a raise in the near future. Again, ask the right questions: look for achievable goals that you can strive towards in order to earn that salary increase in the future.