The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up how businesses operate. Work from home, social distancing, changes in socialization patterns, and compensations in particular, are concerns today and for the future. Facebook announced that pay cuts would be implemented depending on each remote worker’s location, beginning from January 1, 2021, and other big Silicon Valley companies will also be adopting this measure. With all companies curbing costs including pay during the economic downturn, and over a third trimming projected paycheck increase in 2021 budgets, should workers ask for any raise? Before proposing the question, several factors may be considered.
Showcasing Your Worth
A raise denial provides opportunities to plan and demonstrate value to employers. Set possible benchmarks with your supervisor for awarding a raise. Experts advocate using formal documentation to make a case for a raise, including:
- An overview document: allows reframe of performance so that your boss can judge how effective you are as an employee, both before the pandemic and during it and it pretty much sets the stage for the “Current situation” report.
- Current situation report: A piece of document that reviews your major performance metrics with respect to specific goals laid out for you and how you met the needs of your boss and business.
- Extra accomplishments: This document should list other specific benefits you provided, covering areas like efficiency and productivity.
- Next steps plan: This serves as a guide when ready to work on your boss for a raise.
Consider Negotiating Other Perks
A pay raise is not the only negotiable benefit sought especially during this health and financial crisis. Remote work is the norm during the pandemic, saving people time and money normally used for food, travel, and other expenses. As working from home, even part-time, will be standard for many businesses post-COVID-19, with work flexibility, and better work-life balance, that should be a major negotiation priority, with non-economic intangibles, such as access to people in leadership roles. Another intangible is negotiating for information, which could lead to salary raise in the future. You may lead to an “if/then” proposition by sounding your boss, given these specific metrics, would they be comfortable giving you a raise?
How to Appropriately Ask for a Raise
There is no scenario where demanding a due raise may seem appropriate, but a request can be successful if you play your cards right. As mentioned, timing is crucial, awareness of what’s going on within your work is key, and leveraging the management’s positive feedback on your work performance is very important. Bear in mind that the pandemic has forced uncertain time onto businesses and they may have to change how they operate in the future. Even if your company is thriving now, that may change very soon.
What to do If your Request Is Declined
As your company keeps navigating the pandemic, there is a high possibility that your request could be turned down or delayed. But there’s no need to be crestfallen, thinking that your chace to get a raise has passed. If you feel that this rejection was because of your performance then you need to work on our weaknesses. You may ask supervisor to let you know exactly where you fell short. Then, work with them on listing what your work performance expectations are. Then you must create a blueprint for meeting and exceeding these laid out targets, and finally, set a definite timeframe for achieving positive results, after which it is totally appropriate to revisit this question of asking for a raise.
