A survey carried out by reed.co.uk to coincide with International Workers Day has surveyed over 3,000 UK workers to ask what would stop them from asking for a pay rise. Surprisingly, results show that over half are fearful to ask.
“Don’t know what to say” (16 per cent), “not wanting to be seen as greedy” (15 per cent), “scared of asking the boss” (12 per cent) and “worried of being turned down” (12 per cent) were all reasons why workers across the UK stop themselves from asking for a pay rise. Even though a response of “nothing would stop me” (37 per cent) topped the poll, the recruitment giant’s latest data shows a trend towards a lack of confidence when asking for more money.
REED encourages the UK workforce to have more confidence when asking for a pay rise. As the data suggests, a large group of workers needs to be better informed in when and how to ask for an improved salary.
There is a clear divide in the workforce – between those who are highly confident when asking for a pay rise and those who are not. Both groups of workers need to develop the skills in understanding when is the correct time and way to go about asking for a higher wage. In doing so, workers will be more likely to achieve the pay rise they fully deserve.
“The UK workforce deserves a pay rise,” says James Reed, chairman of REED Recruitment. “There are clear signs that many workers are stopping themselves from asking for one. A lack of confidence and self-belief are clear reasons why individuals may not find the courage to ask, however if you think you deserve a pay rise why not ask for one?
“Consider the ways you have gone above and beyond at work and use it as evidence to show employers you deserve one,” he continues. “It is of course wise to choose your moment carefully – the business you work for is unlikely to give you more money if they are going through financial difficulties, so timing is everything. Showing that you understand business pressures will put you in good stead when asking for more money.
If the answer is “no”, don’t take it personally – use this as an opportunity to follow up and ask what more you need to do to earn one.”
