Observe these RED signals from your manager

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Last week I was speaking to one of my ex team member Saurabh. While he was expecting promotion this appraisal, he got the promotion, but along with that he was given a 6% salary increment.

Yes, you read it right. Just 6% (SIX percent)

While working 9-5 jobs, we often find ourselves caught up in the dilemma of whether to ask for a salary hike / promotion or wait for the leaders to offer it themselves.

Majority of the people I have come across are in the latter category where they expect the managers/leaders to not just offer salary raise but promotions also themselves. Saurabh was also one of those in this 6% increment case.

Some (including me) who don’t wait, instead ask for what I deserve, have come across a few peculiar situations which have given clear ideas of what next to be done.

Saurabh called me out of frustration and wanted to vent out. While having this conversation, I asked him a few questions, and we figured out a few patterns.

Pattern 1 - Avoidance

3 months before the appraisal, Saurabh had asked for a 1:1 time with his manager to discuss his increment expectation. He didn’t want to be kept blind and hence wanted to express his expectations. What did his manager do?

For the entire period of 3 months thereafter, the manager kept avoiding the meeting. I am busy, I am on leave, lets speak later etc

This should have been a clear sign for Saurabh, but he ignored.

Pattern 2 - Sorry figure

After the appraisal letters were handed over, Saurabh could obviously get a 1:1 meeting with the manager now. It was a post facto meeting, did not expect much from it, but here’s the outcome of that meeting.

The manager tells him that the company is not doing well financially and that there is no more budget for increments. It is a sign either they are not interested or they are not capable in giving any more hike.

Pattern 3 - Performance attack

The manager tells him that he needed to improve his performance before he could ask for another exceptional increment. This is exactly what Saurabh wanted to discuss 3 months before, but he was ignored. If there are performance issues that could have been discussed on a quarterly basis and not at the end of the year. Besides, why given a promotion then?

Clear sign that either the manager is not satisfied with your work and hence not likely to give you anything more monetarily.

Pattern 4 - You already have it

The manager also tells him that he was already well compensated and did not need a raise. Clearly they were not interested in giving him a raise.

While it’s unfortunate, but I would say more than 90% of the increment dissatisfactions have these common patterns (or excuses) only.

How to handle these objections?

Document everything - Any time during the year, before the appraisal process whenever your manager offers you a positive feedback, document it. You may not need to share it with anyone, but for your own accord, to have a meaningful conversation, document it. You will have a strong basis for your action. Even if you push hard for an exceptional raise, you will have a super strong backing.

Read these signs early (mentioned in above patterns) - Before the appraisals, if you get lame excuses like company not doing well, your performance is poor, you already get paid enough etc, it’s a clear sign you should not expect a good increment. Either you can bring out the self appraisal document now that you saved, or else time to take it up one level up to your manager’s manager.

Learn about your manager - In Saurabh’s case, his manager had a very weak footing in the organisation. He himself was insecure and was not sure if he would be able to protect his own job. In such a case, he could not have expected his manager to fight for him. If you work for a weak and insecure manager, thats a clear red sign.

Cull out the lame excuses - While you are documenting, also document the answers to the lame questions mentioned above. Strategically, a few months before the appraisal, start asking your manager the questions about

• How is the company doing financially (so he couldn’t throw this excuse on you later)

• Share your monthly documented self appraisal form with your manager every quarter. Show him your achievements and get him to acknowledge (even if verbally)

• 3 months before appraisals subtly let him know how much increment % you expect, what number you think should be your revised salary. This will put a perspective in your manager’s head about your expectations.

If all of these actions still don’t fetch any positive results, then you are left with just a few choices

1. Either forget about it, relook at next year afresh, start to work hard all over again and try your luck next appraisals.

2. Have a firm but objective conversation and renegotiate. Ask for another performance assessment in 3-6 months time. Ask for a one time bonus if not more increment, ask for other non monetary benefits which are important to you like work-from-home, ESOPs, more leaves during the year etc.

3. Start exploring your options outside. Start building network, start writing on Linkedin and build your personal brand, start getting inbound opportunities.

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