In the first part of this article, we talked about the cases that require requesting a salary increase, such as taking on new responsibilities, supervising other employees, helping the company achieve its goals, receiving high performance ratings, contributing to increasing the company’s revenues, and others.then we moved on to discuss tips to prepare for successful negotiations that begin with searching for the market value of the job, considering skills and achievements, and determining the optimal increase. we will complete the rest of the tips in this second and last part; follow the following lines with us.
4. Understand the company situation:
You need to look at the financial situation in the company, and if it has experienced growth during the past stages, then most likely the bonus you claimed will be accepted, but if it is experiencing a decline or is in transition, cash flows will be less flexible.
You can also ask for an increase in non-ideal conditions based on the benefits that you can bring to the company, the services that you can offer the employer to meet the needs of the enterprise and contribute to achieving its goals.
If growth is slow, you should consider asking for a smaller increase, and defer large bonuses until the employer’s financial situation improves.
5. Schedule salary negotiations in a timely manner:
It is customary for a new bonus to be claimed more than a year after the previous one, taking into account the needs of the company, and scheduling negotiations at the appropriate time of the tax year.
For example, asking for an increase before departments submit annual budgets can make a big difference in salary negotiations, because they can add more expenses when you apply for compensation before budget planning is completed, but if you ask for an increase after budget planning is completed, there will be no room for negotiation and you will be asked to wait for the next year.
So you need to inquire from the HR department, your manager, or colleagues who know the timing of the budget planning procedure.
It is also worth considering the workloads of your supervisor, manager, hiring manager, and everyone involved in salary negotiations, so as not to interrupt their busy schedules at times when they are busy with many other matters.
Avoid scheduling a negotiation meeting at the beginning of the week, as people tend to work at this time with high productivity and start the week strongly, and you should avoid weekend fatigue and schedule the meeting in the middle of it, the timing is ideal in this case.
Scheduling a meeting late in the morning or in the middle of the day can help you avoid the peak of morning busyness and end-of-shift fatigue.
6. Get ready for negotiation talks:
In your preparations for the negotiation meeting, you should rely on the idea of demanding an increase that you are in the process of proving your right to it, and it’s not just a desire, wish or need for this increase.
It is important to organize discussion topics that will include the salary range you researched, the contributions you make to the company, the trainings you received and the certificates you received, and other important information in proving your right to an increase.
You have to practice the technique of presenting your ideas to the manager or supervisor, and you can treat these negotiations in the same way as a sales presentation, but on the other hand, it is advisable to keep them within the framework of the conversation, and it’s okay to bring notes to the meeting but without giving a slide presentation, or make the negotiations more like giving a lecture to the remaining parties.
You should think about various possibilities and assumptions that may occur during the meeting, such as questions that you may be exposed to, their rejection or acceptance of your request, inquiring about receiving other job offers, requesting more data about you, or inquiring about your final offer.
You can work out with a family member or a trusted friend from outside the company, preferably one who has already had management experience or applied for a bonus before, to ask him for feedback on your body language, self-confidence, persuasiveness, and positive attitude.
Avoiding certain phrases can help convince the employer to give you a raise, and you can use the following observations in this regard:
Instead of saying: “I need a salary increase, say: “I am demanding a salary increase”.
Instead of generalizing as saying: “more money,” ask for a specific amount.
Instead of saying, ” I think I deserve this raise because of…”, Say: “I deserve this increase because of…”.
Instead of saying: “I was hoping that…”, Say: “based on the idea (X), I expect that…”.
7. Better manage the discussion:
You should be self-confident, flexible, positive during the meeting, let the other party know that you would like to demand an increase in salary and briefly put forward your views in this regard.
Remember to allow your manager or other parties to respond and ask questions or provide feedback, as your manager may need some time to talk to the HR department or company executives before making a final decision.
It is important to conclude your conversation with a positive point of view, and be ready to respond to their acceptance or rejection of your request.
How to respond to their acceptance of a salary increase request
In the event that the employer accepts the request for a salary increase, then negotiations can begin with a request for a significant increase but within reasonable limits, and wait for the other party to submit its corresponding offer.
Most managers must have been in salary negotiations before, and usually a lower salary is proposed than required, and here you have to meet their offer with a higher salary taking into account the target salary.
The negotiations will eventually lead to a final offer that you should accept gratefully, keep the atmosphere positive, express your appreciation for the bonus, and then you should continue to carry out your work with excellent quality over the next year so that the employer knows that you deserve the increase, and your attitude will be strong when you claim it again the following year or when the time is right.
How to respond to their refusal to request a salary increase
You need to keep your attitude positive when refusing a request for an increase, this does not mean that you will not receive it in the future.
Instead of saying, “Thank you very much in any case,” try to inquire about the appropriate time to raise the topic of the increase again, and inquire about the criteria that the manager is considering to determine your eligibility for the increase, these criteria may include improvement in certain skills, receiving advanced training, or more experience, for example.
It may also mean that the company should overcome the economic recession or increase sales, in which case you should inquire about the details to determine which aspects you should focus your time, effort, and attention on before claiming another bonus in the future.
In the event that the employer offers to provide you with details, then you should consider looking for a new job in which your contributions will be appreciated, offering compensation equivalent to your potential.
You should also think about other benefits that you can claim, as the refusal may be the result of the company’s inability to provide financial compensation, in which case you can request other benefits that enhance your sense of appreciation.
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These benefits can include options for obtaining a share in shares, vacations, reimbursement of education costs, updating the office or equipment, options for working from home or hybrid work, free access to conferences or trainings, flexible working hours for example.
You need to take all aspects into account and conclude salary negotiations with a positive point of view.
In conclusion:
After you have become familiar with the methods of salary increase negotiations, you should use these strategies the next time you claim a bonus, organize the discussion topics and reach the goals that qualify you to claim a larger bonus.