Advice on how to ask for a pay rise.

[LemonShaker]

Hey, I have been at my current job for almost 10 years. Throughout the years I have had salary increases when I have asked for one. A year ago I returned from maternity leave and went back 4 days a week instead of 5. Understandably I took a pay cut to do this. I am almost back to my starting salary from 10 years ago. However I am now struggling financially with the cost of living, bills, paying for childcare etc. i live pay check to pay check with nothing left at the end of each month and am struggling with food costs etc. I am considering asking for a salary review in the new year. I think I would be asked to come back 5 days a week, however if I did this I would have to pay an extra £200 a month for childcare, which would defeat the purpose of a salary increase as I wouldn’t be any better off. I am not asking for a salary increase to live lavishly or anything like that. It is literally just to live off each month. Would anyone have any advice on how to approach this? Am I being unreasonable to ask for a salary increase? Any advice would be appreciated.

I suppose you could ask if you have a solid argument based on your job role, output etc but you can’t ask based on personal circumstances no, because then they would have to do it for everyone surely?

Do you have a pay review process?

when was your last pay rise? if you new salary is just your old one of a few years pro rated, ask for a cost of living adjustment..

It doesn't sound like you've had regular payrises in line with inflation, so in effect you've had a pay cut.

Even if you reckon on things going up 3% a year, that's 30% over ten years.

The best advice I was given was not to ask for a payrise, but to tell them why you deserve one.

Don't give personal circumstances as the reason, it must be related to what you bring to the business.

I don't think it has to be that necessarily.

If your salary hasn't risen in a while you can argue it on a cost of living basis.

I need money too

When you say you took a "pay cut" I assume you mean that you are on the same salary but it's pro rata'd?

To make a compelling case you need to make a case for the market value for your role, plus your specific performance in your job.

Yep agree with the others - you have t make your argument based on the value you're bringing to the business/things you have improved/sales you've brought in/efficiences, etc

A "cost of living" increase can be asked for, if these are done regularly and you have missed out for whatever reason

But anything substantial would need to be on the base of your job performance

Unless I'm missing something, i think the reason the OP is on the same salary now as she started on is because she's now working only 4 days a week.