Negotiating more pay: more stressful than quitting
Hands drenched in sweat, inner turmoil, painstakingly suppressed excitement - salary negotiations place a particular nervous strain on employees. Tips for a successful negotiation.
Half of the participants in a survey of 500 employees commissioned by the personnel service provider Robert Half say they are very nervous when discussing salary with their boss. Only the admission of mistakes and the termination interview generate a similar amount of stress.
Appear confident and self-assured
For the salary interview, a skill is required that not everyone masters perfectly: negotiation skills. The Salary Survey by Robert Half shows, however, that many professionals are in a good negotiating position. A trend that is also confirmed by Zerrin Azeri, Associate Director at Robert Half in Zurich: "There is a shortage of qualified specialist staff on the market. Companies are therefore very interested in retaining their long-term top employees for the long term."
Negotiating more pay: Nervousness is high
|
50 % |
|
49 % |
|
49 % |
|
48 % |
|
37 % |
|
34 % |
|
31 % |
Source: Labor Market Study 2018 by Robert Half; Respondents: 500 employees in Switzerland
Asking a supervisor for a raise is always a difficult task. Even if the first request is rejected, employees should not give up their request too quickly, reveals Azeri: "Too much restraint is the wrong way to go. Supervisors expect that employees will soon reiterate their desire for more money after a rejection. In contrast, our study shows that nearly two-thirds of employees wait up to a year before making another attempt."
If the request for a higher salary is not met, additional benefits such as flexible working hours, further training or other allowances could be renegotiated. Many bosses would also have expected this reaction - but only just under one in five of the employees implemented it.
Four tips for salary negotiation
If you want to negotiate a higher salary, there are certain things you should keep in mind. Zerrin Azeri, Associate Director at Robert Half in Zurich, offers the following tips for salary negotiations:
- Correct timing: There are better and worse times to have your conversation. Intercepting the boss in the morning to negotiate salary is not a good idea. After the successful completion of a project or the quarter, the chances are much better. In general, you should also keep an eye on the overall situation of the company: If there is an upward trend at the moment, the timing is of course even more promising.
- Powerful arguments: The interview will be more successful if you can mention personal successes, goals already achieved that were set in the previous appraisal interview, or taking on additional tasks.
- Know market value: When estimating a realistic salary, it helps to know how much other people in similar positions earn or what the average salary is. Salary surveyssuch as Robert Half's for the IT, finance and commercial sectors, provide you with an overview and assistance in naming an appropriate salary range.
- Good preparation: Salary negotiation is an exceptional situation. The better prepared you are, the higher the chances of success. You should know what you want to achieve. In any case, think about in advance which Counterarguments your boss might raise and how you can rebut them. However, your professional well-being should not depend exclusively on salary - rather, you should keep an eye on the additional benefits. Consider what benefits the company can offer you and whether it is relevant for you to negotiate them.
Source: Robert Half
