Not happy with your salary increase? Here’s what to do next...

Whether you’re offered no pay rise at all, or a lower raise than expected after your latest performance review, it may not be reflective of what you feel you deserve. Here are 5 actions to take if you’re unhappy with your salary increase:

• Speak up: If you’re unhappy don’t keep it to yourself or feel resentful. Professionally ask your employer where you sit with exceeding their expectations. Is there anything more you could be doing to push your work performance even further? Is there anything they might not have taken into consideration when reviewing your progression?

• Ask for clarity: Your employer and their company might have specific protocols to follow when it comes to salary increase, such as keeping them in line with job promotions. Ask your employer to break down their process for assessing pay rises and how to progress in your career, in turn increasing your salary.

• Assess what you deserve: If you feel that your employer has not taken certain aspects of your role and responsibilities into consideration with your performance review, have a look at what facts you can present to strengthen your case to negotiate your salary. Employers will respond more to facts and figures that back up why you deserve a higher salary.

• Consider compensation: Many companies will offer more than just your base salary as compensation for your employment. Whether they also offer health schemes and insurance, annual bonuses or additional holiday time, you should consider whether your workplace offers more than just a monthly pay cheque.

• Look at the current market: If you have approached your employer in a professional manner to question your current pay without any positive outcome, and feel you are not achieving the salary you deserve look at the market value for your job description. Recruitment specialists such as 1st Recruitment can help you to assess your market value if you decide to look for new employment to meet your salary expectations.

For expert advice from the recruitment specialists on any aspect of your career, email consultants@1strecruit.co.uk or call 01534 875444