'You have to grit your teeth and do it': Employment expert reveals her secret to getting a pay rise even if your boss says no – but if it fails, you'll need a new job
- Cathy Hendry has offered some advise for workers hoping for increased pay
- The finance expert said if all else fails people should 'walk away' from their role
- She said workers should be upfront with employers about wanting more money
- If a boss says no she says employees should ask for a pay review in 3-6 months
- Ms Hendry noted that the pay gap between men and women was still an issue
A financial expert has offered some words of wisdom to workers hoping to pocket a pay rise - but has warned if the salary isn't increased employees should search for a new role.
Cathy Hendry, a senior consultant at Strategic Pay, a consultant firm based in Auckland in New Zealand, has advised staff to be proactive when it comes to asking for a salary increase.
If you're stuck in a rut in your current role and in need of some more money, Ms Hendry said people should 'grit their teeth and do it'.
(File picture) Cathy Hendry advised staff to be proactive when it comes to asking for a pay rise
However, when speaking to Frances Cook on the Cooking the Books podcast, they both agreed that after numerous failed attempts at securing more money, workers should give up and 'walk away'.
Ms Hendry said one of the best pieces of advice she'd ever received was from a man who had bluntly asked his soon-to-be new employer, if he'd be happy with his pay cheque in six months time.
'When I've been here six months and I'm talking to my co-workers am I going to be upset at how much they're getting paid?' he asked.
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And according to Ms Hendry, the question resulted in an instant offer of more money.
Ms Hendry said much like the man who secured an increased salary offer, employees should be upfront.
She added it's good to ask management if they think they're paying you a 'fair rate'.
When asking for a salary increase she said employees should be able to 'back themselves' by making a note of past achievements and skills so to 'build a case for what you're worth'.
Cathy Hendry (pictured) is a senior consultant for Strategic Pay, a consultant firm based in Auckland in New Zealand
However, if the boss initially says no, Ms Hendry recommends asking for a 'pay review' in three to six months.
The review will act as a trial period and will give employees the chance to showcase what they can do.
And when the review comes around, workers can demonstrate exactly what they've done by reciting all they've achieved in the past few months.
If your someone who suspects your underpaid and wants to confirm the right pay cheque for your role, there's plenty of ways for you to find out.
Ms Hendry said online surveys are helpful to figure out the rates for different roles, but said it's always beneficial to speak to other people in the industry.
She also added that the best time to ask about pay is when moving between jobs.
But she warned 'don't bluff and say you're planning to leave' as the fib could have adverse consequences.
(File picture) Ms Hendry said the best time to ask about pay is when moving between jobs
Ms Hendry also noted that the pay gap between men and women was still an issue in New Zealand.
The success rate for men asking for a pay rise is 20 per cent but for women it's only 15 per cent.
And contrary to the common belief that women are too timid to ask for more money, Harvard recently released statistics that showed women are speaking up and asking for pay rises.
However, she noted that the disparity was 'not intentional' despite women getting 'disadvantaged'.
(File picture) The success rate for men asking for a pay rise is 20 per cent but for women it's only 15 per cent
Ms Hendry added that the best way for companies to combat this was to audit performance reviews.
She noted that research had revealed that more men get rated as 'outstanding' in reviews than women.
And it showed that there was some bias towards women, with female employees having tougher reviews and receiving less constructive criticism than men.
Companies might not be aware of the issue, and if they conduct an internal review this can bring the issues to light.
She also said women should be encouraged to take on more senior roles so they can oversee the impact to a company's 'bottom line'.
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