16 Reasons You Won’t Get That Raise At Work
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The typical pay raise is usually 3% of your base salary, but it could be significantly more depending on your job, work experience, and importance to management. However, just because you want a pay raise doesn’t necessarily mean you will automatically get one.
There are many reasons why you might get passed over for a pay raise at work. Here are 16 reasons to consider.
1. You Didn’t Ask For One
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Every job has its own metrics for who gets a promotion and a raise at work. Most people get a promotion through their professional networking skills, relationships, and office politics. It isn’t fair, but life rarely is. If you want a raise at work, diplomatically and professionally request one. Bring verifiable receipts of your work performance and accomplishments to the meeting. You know your boss, so prepare your points and predict their potential counterpoints.
2. No One Likes You
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The key to getting a job most of the time is who you know, but such benefits can only take you so far. No one is suggesting that you become a pushover or a sycophant, but you should strive to be professionally respected at your job. Don’t hold professional grudges, make enemies, be disrespectful, gossip, or sabotage others at the workplace. Asking for a raise at work becomes a moot point if you are professionally disliked by everyone.
3. No One Knows Who You Are
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Workplaces are competitive and it never pays to be quiet and keep to yourself. Make connections and introduce yourself to others. Leave digital and/or paper trails that prove your connection to workplace achievements. Don’t be shy when it comes to taking credit. You might get passed over for a raise at work because you’re unknown, not disliked.
4. Your Work Attire is Slovenly and Unprofessional
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You need to dress for the job you want in life. Dress professionally and according to the dress code standards of your workplace. If you don’t know, ask and never make assumptions about workplace dress codes. While modern workplace dress codes have become more lenient, that does not mean you should dress as unprofessionally as possible. Before you ask for a raise at work, ensure that you dress like you belong there.
5. Poor Attendance
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Some workplaces will give an employee numerous chances to shape up when it comes to poor attendance. It takes time to find replacements, onboard them, and get them up to speed. Meanwhile, workplace operations slow down or suffer in the meantime. It’s not uncommon for employees with poor attendance to hold onto a job for a while. Just don’t be shocked by the response if you ask for a raise at work.
6. You’re a Quiet Quitter
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Quiet quitting is a modern euphemism for a mediocre employee who performs the absolute bare minimum when it comes to their work duties and no more. Some quiet quitters also try to get away with performing much less than the bare minimum whenever possible. Such a lack of effort will be glaringly noticed and remembered if you ask for a raise at work.
7. You Excel At Your Job And Do No More Than That
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The other extreme of a quiet quitter is someone who excels at their duties and job description but never takes the initiative to do more. Strive to learn new skills, ask for new projects or responsibilities, or work with new colleagues. You don’t have to show such initiative and your boss does not have to comply when you ask for a raise at work.
8. You Tactlessly Compare Yourself to Colleagues
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There is a huge difference between professionally and tactlessly marketing yourself. There is also a thin line between professional confidence and tactless bragging. Never promote or market yourself at the expense of publicly criticizing or denigrating your work colleagues to make yourself look better.
9. Not a Team Player
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In an era of hybrid workplaces and remote work, there are many opportunities for introverts to excel working alone. If you work in a traditional workplace, then nothing is rarely accomplished by the efforts of one person. Make efforts to be a team player while keeping digital and paper evidence of your achievements. Management notices good employees but sometimes values team players more for workplace morale purposes.
10. You Make Ultimatums
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The worst way to ask for a raise at work is to make hasty ultimatums and threaten to leave. Making such bluffs presupposes your importance to the workplace, which may not be warranted in reality. Ultimatums imply your workplace does not value you, which isn’t a good negotiation tactic. Your boss will feel insulted, pressured, and professionally threatened with the hassle of replacing you. They may call your bluff instead of worrying you’ll pull the same stunt whenever you don’t get your way.
11. You Have a Disrespectful Work Attitude
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You should be professionally courteous at all times. You should never put up with disrespect in the workplace, but you should never hand it out either. Practice your facial mannerisms if you have a habit of scowling at people. Have situational awareness of your tone of voice and volume when talking. Some people are mentally and emotionally hardwired to be disrespectful while demanding it from others. If this sounds like you, work on your issues. Your personality defects could cost you a raise at work or even a job.
12. You Severely Overestimate Your Skillset
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It’s important to be confident in your abilities. However, some people can develop severe delusions of grandeur when it comes to self-assessing their talents. While your work duties may be appreciated at your workplace, you may not be as talented or non-replaceable as you think. Have trusted colleagues or friends assess your talents and believe them. Always take annual job reviews seriously. Have situational awareness of how your talents are publicly perceived before you ask for a raise at work. You can always upgrade your skills and ask later.
13. Bad Timing
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As previously mentioned, you should have situational awareness of workplace operations and maintain a good professional network. You should know when business is good or bad at your workplace. Be strategic with your timing when it comes to asking for a raise at work.
14. You Communicate Badly
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Are you an active listener or do you just hear people while waiting to respond? When you ask for a raise at work, be prepared to actively listen to your boss. Strategically listen to the points that they make and be prepared to respond in a way that shows you see their point of view. They may remember you next time for a raise based on your professional conversational engagement with them.
15. You Can’t Take Constructive Criticism
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There is always room for improvement when performing your duties in the workplace. You can always learn new skills, certifications, and procedures. Sometimes, the only way to improve in life is to recognize where you are currently failing or deficient. A good way to stay on the boss’ radar for a raise at work is to take any constructive criticism offered without acting personally offended.
16. You Asked For Too Much Money
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Research workplace salaries if you plan to ask for a raise at work. It should not be hard for you to learn the pay structure at your job with the right connections. Don’t ask for an astronomical pay bump if your position and work history don’t call for it. Measure your expectations accordingly when asking for a raise and be prepared to negotiate if the opportunity arises.
Be Strategic Before You Ask For a Raise at Work
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Patience is a virtue in all aspects of life, especially at work. Work hard and keep receipts of your work achievements. Build up and maintain work connections. Bide your time and wait for the right moment before asking for a raise. The squeaky wheel always gets the grease and pay raises are never given out in a vacuum, so be involved in the workplace.
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Allen Francis is a full-time writer, prolific comic book investor and author of The Casual’s Guide: Why You Should Get Into Comic Book Investing. Allen holds a BA degree from Marymount Manhattan College. Before becoming a writer Allen was an academic advisor, librarian, and college adjunct for many years. Allen is an advocate of best personal financial practices including saving and investing in your own small business.
