How to Get a Pay Rise
Outside of annual indexation, pay rises in-house don’t tend to happen by accident. Unlike private practice, there is no automatic progression or clearly defined pay scale that exists... if your salary increases significantly, it is usually because you have made a case for it or someone else has made it on your behalf.
That might sound frustrating, but it also means there is more within your control than you think.
So how do you approach it properly?
Start with the market, not your feelings
At any given point in your career, you should have a clear sense of what the market is paying for your role. Not a vague idea, but actual ranges you are confident about.
This is not about comparison for the sake of it. It is about making sure you do not become underpaid by default.
Use every source available to you. Recruiters, salary guides, peers in similar roles. Keep this information current. Markets move quickly, and falling behind often happens gradually, not all at once.
It is also worth remembering that smaller, regular adjustments are far easier to secure than one large correction. Closing a £2k gap is a very different conversation to closing a £10k one.
Bring receipts, not opinions
“I feel underpaid” rarely lands well.
A much stronger position is this one: “The market rate for my role is £X to £Y based on scope, seniority and sector, and here is how my role aligns with that.”
Ground your ask in data first. Then layer in the qualitative points. The combination of your impact and growth since your last rise (if you had one) is what makes the argument stick.
Understand how the budget actually works
Before you even think about asking, get clear on how salary decisions are made in your organisation.
Who owns the budget? When is it set? What is it meant to cover? Salary increases, bonuses, headcount or all of the above? Is it local, regional or global? And crucially, who influences those decisions behind the scenes?
This is not always obvious, and you may need to do some digging. It may take some time and feel lacklustre at times but gaining this knowledge will be worth it. Timing and context can matter just as much as performance, and the more you understand the system, the better you can work with it.
Tailor your pitch to your audience
Not everyone evaluates your request in the same way.
Your manager is likely thinking about retention and team stability. A CFO will be focused on cost vs risk. Commercial stakeholders will care about impact on targets and delivery. Most people will also care about how decisions reflect on them internally and what it will look like if/when they raise your request.
Shape your message accordingly. The core argument stays the same, but what you emphasise should shift depending on who is listening, and who is influencing behind the scenes.
Ask at the right time
There is a window for these conversations, and missing it can mean the difference between being considered or not.
Use your understanding of budgets to guide timing. If decisions have already been locked in, the outcome may be out of your manager’s hands no matter how strong your case is.
That said, do not wait until you are burnt out or frustrated. That rarely comes across as a measured request. It comes across as a resignation waiting to happen.
Earlier, considered conversations tend to land better than reactive ones. It is crucial that you bear this in mind alongside your assessment of annual patterns internally.
Expect pushback and plan for it
Very few pay rise conversations are a straight yes.
Be ready for objections and think through your responses in advance. Not as a script, but as a set of positions you are comfortable communicating.
If budget is tight, are there alternatives? A phased increase, a guaranteed bonus, a title change or increased flexibility? What is the minimum outcome you would accept from the conversation? Can future expectations be documented and revisited?
Being prepared here is the difference between a stalled conversation and a productive one.
Make a business case
At its core, a pay rise is a commercial decision.
The cost to the business to replace you includes recruitment fees, onboarding time, lost knowledge and disruption to the team. Compare that to the cost of paying you appropriately.
You do not need to overstate it, but you do need to frame it. This is not just about rewarding good work, it is about making a rational decision for the business.
Track your value all year round
If you wait until the conversation to start gathering evidence, you are already on the back foot.
Keep a record of your work as you go. Key projects, positive feedback, moments where you added value or reduced risk. A simple folder is enough.
Where possible, link these back to your team or company’s priorities. It makes your contribution easier to articulate and harder to dismiss.
If it’s a no, get clarity
A no is not the end of the road, but so many fall into the trap of seeing it that way. Don’t let this dishearten you and reframe it as a useful next step.
Ask what would need to change for the answer to become yes. Get specific targets and timelines and ideally, get them documented.
People move on, teams change and conversations get forgotten. The more objective and visible your next steps are, the easier they are to revisit when it is the right time to raise this again.
Build allies, not just arguments
Decisions are not made in isolation.
Having a senior sponsor (someone who will speak positively about your work when you are not in the room) can make a significant difference. These are the people who help shape perception and influence outcomes.
Strong relationships and consistent delivery over time are what build this. Key relationships in-house are not built in an instant, but they are extremely powerful.
Know your walkaway point
Sometimes, despite doing everything right, the numbers do not move.
At that point, you need to be honest with yourself about your options. There is a level at which staying no longer makes sense financially or professionally.
Not every pay rise requested is awarded, so it is important to have a back-up plan. If, after all of your research and effort you are turned down and decide to move on, back yourself and trust in your next move.
Over to you…
Pay rises are not just about performance. They are about awareness, timing and how well you navigate the system around you.
Take the time to understand your market, build your case and have the conversation before it becomes overdue. Be clear on what you want, realistic about how decisions are made, and prepared to advocate for yourself when it matters.
If the answer is not what you hoped for, do not ignore it. Use it.
Being proactive about your pay is part of taking your career seriously.