Your rent went up. Your workload doubled. Your salary didn’t. You know you’re worth more, but the words stick somewhere between your chest and your calendar invite.
The meeting room smelled faintly of marker pens and coffee. Your manager looked up from a laptop, the screen glow turning everything a little colder, and you felt your stomach do that odd theatre-interval drop. You had proof of your impact, numbers scribbled in a notebook, and a sentence you’d repeated under your breath on the commute. Then came the moment your voice had to go first. She blinked.
The real reason managers say yes to a pay rise
Pay doesn’t move because you’re “loyal” or “nice”. It moves because you connect your role to money saved, money made, or risk avoided. That’s the quiet equation on the other side of the desk, and it’s not personal. It’s a business case wearing a human face.
We’ve all had that moment when you think, maybe if I just wait, they’ll notice. They rarely do. When “James” stopped waiting and framed his impact like a mini P&L—£180k annual revenue added from a pilot he led, 12% churn reduced over two quarters—his manager didn’t argue the numbers. The conversation shifted from “if” to “how much”.
This works because decisions need anchors. When you show outcomes tied to timeframes and your specific actions, you give your manager something solid to escalate. Fairness matters, but outcomes close the gap. **You’re not asking for charity; you’re pricing your impact.** The rise follows the proof, not the other way round.
The exact strategy and script from a career coach
Start a fortnight before the ask. Collect three outcomes you drove in the last 6–12 months with numbers, dates, and your role: increased revenue, cost saved, risk reduced, or time freed. Then benchmark your role across at least two trusted sources—industry surveys, public salary bands, recent job postings—so you have a sensible range, a target, and a walk-away point.
Book the meeting with intention. Subject line: “Compensation and scope review”. Time it for a week with a fresh win on the board, not a budget panic or Monday 9am. Drop a short pre-read the day before: bullet your three outcomes, the scope you’re now covering, and the market range. Let’s be honest: no one does this every day. Your manager will thank you for making it easy to say yes.
Here’s the talk-track I give clients. It’s respectful, direct, and frames value before the number. Speak slowly, breathe, and stop talking once you’ve asked. *That silence is part of the script.*
“Thanks for making the time. Over the past six months, I led X which delivered Y result (brief metric), streamlined A saving B hours per month, and closed C risk that would have cost roughly £Z. My scope is now broader than when my salary was set.Based on market data for [role level] and the impact above, I’m seeking to move my base to £[target], with a review of title to [level] to match the responsibilities. How can we make that happen this month?”
- Open with outcomes, not effort
- State a precise target within a researched range
- Ask for timing, not vague agreement
- Stop talking after the ask—wait for response
- Follow up with a one-page summary
Try this and see what shifts
If your manager stalls, switch to options. “If £X isn’t possible this cycle, I’m open to a staged increase: £[interim] now, with a review by [date], plus a one-off bonus for [project outcome].” You’re not negotiating against yourself; you’re giving them levers to pull. **Staged yeses are still yeses.**
Don’t lead with threats, comparisons, or “I’ve been here a long time”. That triggers defensiveness, not decisions. Anticipate pushback and meet it with data and calm. “Understood. What would you need to see by [date] to approve £X?” You just turned a wall into a roadmap. **Momentum beats perfection.**
When a flat “no” arrives, end well and get specifics. “Appreciate the clarity. Can we agree the criteria for a rise by [date], and can we document it?” Then send the note. If the ground never moves, that’s data too. A strong outside conversation becomes a lighthouse, not a battering ram. On the day you do land the yes, mark it. Your nervous system needs the win.
There’s a quiet relief that comes from treating this like any other work project—scope, data, ask, follow-up. The courage piece still matters. It always will. The beautiful part is that courage compounds with practice, and the script stops feeling like a costume and starts sounding like you.
| Point clé | Détail | Intérêt pour le lecteur |
|---|---|---|
| Lead with outcomes | Pick three quantified wins tied to revenue, cost, or risk | Makes your manager’s approval easier and faster |
| Ask a precise number | State a target within a researched band and a date | Replaces vague hope with a clear decision |
| Have plan B | Offer staged steps: interim rise, title, bonus, review date | Creates multiple paths to “yes” without backing down |
FAQ :
- What if my company is on a pay freeze?Ask for a dated commitment and non-cash levers: title change, bonus on delivery, extra holiday, training budget, or equity refresh. Lock the review month in writing.
- How much should I ask for?Triangulate: market data + your unique impact + internal bands. Pick a number at the upper-middle of the range and be ready with a staged path if needed.
- Should I mention another offer?Only if it’s real and you’d take it. Frame it calmly: “I’d like to stay. If we can get to £X, it’s an easy choice.” No brinkmanship.
- What if my boss says “there’s no budget”?Budget is a story about priorities. Ask what outcomes unlock budget, propose a split across quarters, or tie a bonus to a specific metric you control.
- I’m early in my role—can I still ask?Yes, if your scope has grown or you’ve delivered outsized results. Present a mini-case and suggest a three-month checkpoint to revisit comp.
