The salary talk
The salary talk is your input and opportunity to increase your salary. Present your expecation for a salary increase and advocate for it. At the same time, you'll be providing support to your local negotiators in your local salary process.
The employer's view of a salary increase is usually based on a collective assessment of the possibilities of recruiting new employees, the risk of key personnel resigning and the risk of dissatisfaction with salaries influencing work results.
The Association's approach and the collective agreement's working are that salary increases shall be determined by work content, performance and market salary position.
Be well prepared
The salary talk must provide your manager with a clear pricture of your salary increase expectations and your motivation. Base your arguments on how your work content has developed, your performance and achievements. Supplement this with the market salary status. Your manager will also factor in his/her assessment of your performance.
| Evaluate your work content |
Check with your local representatives on the criteria used in your workplace. |
| Examine the market salary situation |
Compare you salary with other engineers. Check such information as position level and experience. Use salary statistics as support. |
| Assess your performance |
Start from established goals and describe how well you have fulfilled demands placed on you. Try to remember when you received feedback from your manager after succeeding with an assignment.
Don't forget overtime. You shall be compensated for the overtime you actually accrued. |
| Decide a goal |
When you've made a decision on what you believe is a realistic increase - add a bit more.
State your demand in SEK. This is more distinct than a percentage figure.
State only one figure in your demand. If you state an interval, you'll receive the lower end. |
| Summary |
Write down your own salary analysis, with strenghts and weaknesses. Base it on your salary demand. Use the analysis as the basis of your salary talk. |
Present your arguments and your demands
Describe how you achieved goals and fulfilled demands. Think in terms of competency, responsibility and performance.
Handling counter arguments
"We cannot afford it..." "We must maintan the budget..." "This year we are investing in...."
A recession and low profitability affect the salary trend. The employer may consider it a strong argument for giving low salary increases. But, it is your performance, competency and responsibilities that shall affect your salary. It shall not be limited by a budget, although it is the manager's job to maintin it.
Clarify that you view salary as verification. If you receive a lower increase than others, this means that you are doing a worse job than they are – is this really true?
Many believe that it is the central agreement's established salary increase that applies. But the agreement also states that the salary increase shall be influenced by your competency and performance.
If the salary increase is small, you should demand satisfactory motivation. Your salary should be individual, although you set your goals in relation to others.
Do not threaten to quit if you do not receive a certain salary. But, do not let your manager believe that you will remain for ever.