How to ask for a pay raise?

[pontipinemum]

I'm re-posting here as I had no responses in 'work'

I will be with my company 2 years soon and would like to ask for a pay raise but I have no idea how to go about it!

For context, I WFH fully. I have never met my boss in person and hardly ever speak to him, couple of emails a month at most, we had 1 zoom before I was hired. I have a manager I directly report into. I speak to her most days but again usually just emails/ messenger. We are supposed to zoom once a week but it is often cancelled so we can go weeks without actually talking.

I'm an accountant, where I did my training I got automatic pay increases when I passed exams so I never had to ask. I worked in a few places after but never longer than a year (redundancy/ short term contracts).

I don't want to seem like a wimpy mess 'please sir may I have some more' but I def don't want to come across rude.

There are 5 people in the company so no HR. I don't have a contract or employee hand book to reference.

YABU - do not ask for a pay rise if one is coming it will come
YANBU - Do ask for a raise

Do you have an actual contract? If so, I would check that and then you will know if it's reasonable to ask for one based on that. I work for a small company but my contract says that my pay will be reviewed each Sep but there's no guarantee of an increase. I know my boss well enough (and can say this to him directly) that he will never bring up the topic, unless I do so I just say to him 'can we please discuss my salary' - I usually do this at the end of a meeting between the 2 of us and it leads on from there. Alternatively you could email your manager and ask them if you can make a time to discuss it - if you've done exams, use that as leverage. You've just got to believe in yourself and think about what I said above - if you don't mention it, they probably won't! My boss actually gave me a 10% pay increase last time as he knew that the cost of living had risen so much. Go for it - be confident and believe in your worth.

Most companies will have a performance review/pay review process/window at some point in the year where these things should be raised (small companies may be different). These will usually cover inflation and performance related raises.

When asking for a payrise you should have a ballpark you expect. Don't just go in with 'I'd like more'. Also remember it's your business case to make. Why are you worth more? Is it that the market is paying more? Do you have benchmarking for this? Have you taken on more responsibility? Have they not given the market inflation rate? (I.e inflation may be at 10% but had the market generally given 5% and your company 2% - though that should be reflected in the benchmarking).

Also what are you going to do if they say no? That's obviously not for the meeting but you should know just for yourself.

@Cheeks4970 no I don't have a contract. I think I'll just have to email her some time and ask. I'll wait until I pass the 2 year mark.

@Watwing no chance of a performance review happening. No I hadn't thought of having a ball park figure in my head. I think I am worth it, my manager keeps saying how much easier I have made her life, she can unload a lot of work to me and doesn't need to supervise or check my work. Also I am doing a good bit more than I initially should have been. This is fine with me.

I could check if the others have had pay rises and pitch for similar.

If they say no, I won't do anything. The job suits me down to the ground. Everything about it suits me