Do you need a pay rise?
We have just seen a great article posted by the BBC that may be of interest to workers. What I would say is be mindful of the difficulties your employer faces in this highly competitive industry. Customers have very little loyalty or understanding of what consists of good tree work often simply looking to remove a tree for the cheapest price and there is always a company out there who will undercut your price. This issue will only get worse as recession grows and the public stuggle with the cost of living
Your boss may well recognise you are worth more money but in times like this it can be difficult for company owners to raise salaries and this will remain the case until we move out of austerity times. It would also help if our industry had a watchdog to police the industry correctly giving us credibility and professional recognition with the public and forcing them to use an accredited arborist company.
I personally feel it is better to work with your employer to agree a fair bonus based on attendance, productivity, quality and overheads. It’s no-good setting up a bonus system if you’re going to have Monday or Friday sick days and increasing productivity is worthless if quality or safety is jeopardised whilst failing to maintain or rushing and damaging equipment or P.P.E simply adds to the companies’ overheads. A careful bonus scheme can and should benefit everyone including the company owner whilst you become an important and rewarded member of their business.
Credit to Noor Nanji who wrote the article for the BBC.
Business reporter, BBC News
1. Choose the right time
Jill Cotton, a career trends experts at jobs site Glassdoor, says scheduling a talk in advance will allow you and your boss time to prepare, and means you're more likely to have a productive conversation.
"Don't spring this on your line manager," Ms Cotton says. "Be upfront and say that you want to book in a conversation that is specifically about pay."
Rowsonara Begum, who helps her brother run Saffron Indian takeaway in Salisbury, says it also needs to be the right time for the business.
The takeaway has five members of staff and occasionally takes on additional workers during busy periods.
2. Bring evidence
If you're asking for a pay rise, you should have lots of evidence of why you deserve one.
"Know what you've achieved either from a work setting or what you've done to develop yourself, maybe to support your team, support your line managers. List all the pros of what you've done," says Shan Saba, a director at Glasgow-based recruitment firm Brightwork.
This evidence also helps your manager rationalise why you should be paid more, according to Stephanie Davies, a workplace psychologist.
"The brain needs a 'why' - why should I pay you this amount?" she says.
However, it's not just about bringing a list of all the things you've done. You should also be clear about what you want to do next, says Mr Saba.
"If you have aspirations of moving up through your organisation, have a plan of what you're looking to do over the coming year."
3. Be confident
When asking your boss for more money, it helps if you're confident and know your worth.
That's something Ms Begum has noticed, from her experience of having these talks with staff.
"Here in Salisbury, it's quite difficult to get the staff we need," she says.
"It's also become harder to recruit from overseas. So workers have negotiating power because they know there's a shortage."
Often people don't feel confident because there is a "stigma" around talking about pay, says Glassdoor's Jill Cotton, but it's "an important part of work".
Women and people from minority backgrounds can often find it particularly hard to ask for more more, adds psychologist Stephanie Davies.
Her advice to them is to ask for a mentor or role model, who can help guide them through those conversations.
4. Have a figure in mind
Most experts agree it's best to have an exact figure in mind before embarking on a conversation about pay.
Do your research, advises James Reed, chair of recruitment firm Reed.
"You can go online and look at job adverts and see what other comparable jobs are being recruited for and what the salaries are," he says.
Ms Cotton warns the figure should be realistic.
"We would all love to be paid millions of pounds every single year. But we are being paid to fulfil a role with the skillset we have," she says.
5. Don't give up
If the above steps don't result in a pay rise, try not to be disheartened.
"Sometimes these conversations can take a while, even months, but it's important to keep the communication open," says Ms Begum.
Pay is also not the be-all and end-all, says Mr Reed.
"It's not just necessarily about money. You might be able to get more holiday or more flexibility around working hours," he says, adding you could also negotiate extra training and development.
And if you don't feel you're getting what you want from your employer, remember, there are other opportunities out there.
"You can always look elsewhere, that's the really big lesson," says Ms Davies.
Read the full BBC article here: Cost of living: Five tips when asking for a pay rise - BBC News