Do You Deserve A Good Salary Hike?

Tuesday, April 8, 2014, 16:21 [IST]

This is the time of the year when most companies have their performance appraisals and then give out pay raises. The easiest way to know that increments are due is to observe people in the office. Your co-workers become generally ‘nicer' than they are, everyone is coming on time and there are clusters of people talking in hushed tones about the appraisals they expect. Everyone wants a good salary hike.

TRICKS TO AVOID AFTERNOON SLUMP AT WORK

However, does everyone deserve a good salary hike? We are often quick to judge other people. So for a change, let us start with ourselves. Don't ask yourself if you want a good salary hike? You already know the answer to that question. Ask yourself if you deserve to get a substantial pay raise this year? Here are some of the pertinent questions you need to ask yourself.

Was I regular to work throughout the year?

Always remember, HR guys hate people who are irregular. It does not matter how much work you put in, they will see the LOP (Loss Of Pay) column and decide if you were a regular employee. Numbers talk you see.

Was I punctual to work all year?

Most offices are lax about their in-time, especially because you have to work late hours sometimes. However, when it comes calculating the worth of an employee, coming early to office will always be counted above leaving late.

Did I achieve my targets to the best of my abilities?

There is no such thing called ‘trying hard'. You have to achieve whatever targets are given to you on an individual level and also for your team. If you have done it, then you already come half way in deserving a good salary hike. If not, then you still have an outside chance if you have fared well in the other spheres.

Did you take any long leaves of absence?

A long leave of absence means a leave that lasts beyond two weeks. For example, if you have been on maternity leave or sick leave and took a leave of three weeks, then you are liable to lose out on a good increment.

Did I gossip maliciously about other people or was the subject of gossip for any reason?

Both these things will work against you when it comes to getting a hike. If you gossip about other people, you are wasting your work time and that of others. And if people gossip about you, then you are being held in bad light by the HR department. Whether or not there is a grain of truth in these gossips is secondary.

Are you indispensable for your team and company?

Do you know how people get good salary hikes? It is by becoming indispensable to their organisation. If your boss believes that you quitting your job will bring a huge loss to the company, then you will get that pay raise. And if you don't, you can use your resignation as a threat.

Consider these points before you set your heart to getting a good pay raise this year. This is will help you to cope with unnecessary disappointments or shocks when you finally get the letter of increment.