I have a meeting with my kind manager to discuss my back to work plan next year & wondering if anyone has advice with negotiating a pay rise on return from maternity leave or could just give me a pep talk.
I haven't had a pay rise in a couple of years due to multiple company reorganisations and adjustments of the pay scale but since my last pay increase I have gained an extra qualification. This was in October last year and I didn't ask for a pay rise as I felt too new in my team to be taken seriously (I don't know why I put myself down like that as it was a massive achievement that not everyone manages)
My time in my current team (which can be seen as a relatively new skill set) only started in Feb 2020 and by the time we returned to the office I was pregnant so in a way I do still a bit new, but at the same time my additional qualification took more than 4 years (the process is 4 years and requires an interview but I also had a block of maternity leave so it was on pause for a year).
I'd like to potentially return to work part time (only 4 days a week so still pretty much full time in terms of workload) but keep the same monthly take home.
I don't think this is unreasonable and I also keep trying to remind myself of that fact that says women are less likely to apply for a job if they don't meet the full requirements or will talk themselves down but men typically take a chance and progress anyway. So by that token I feel I should ask but I just don't know how to approach it other than asking if a salary review can take place prior to my return given I gained the extra qualification which I believe should have been reflected in my pay anyway.
I was recently given a £500 gift in recognition of my qualification but feel a bump in pay would also be industry standard in other places.
Is asking for a pay review something to bring up with my line manager anyway or a discussion with HR or both?
Any advice greatly appreciated. I do have imposter syndrome but since gaining this qualification I am slowly beginning to realise actually I AM useful and I DO get things done.