How to Ask for Salary Increase (15 Best Sample Letters)

Asking for a raise in your pay is a challenging request, though a necessary one if you think you deserve the pay raise. To get a positive reply to your plea for this purpose, write a well-crafted salary increase letter. The ideal letter drafted for this purpose will help you yield a better result. This letter allows you to give your employers reasons to get a raise without showing nervousness.

If you are unsure how to approach your boss on this matter or can’t come up with enough reasons to make a move, this article will guide you through all the steps and requirements to write a perfect salary increase letter.

Here is a collection of free templates that you can use to write salary increase letter. These letters have been prepared with great care in a way that presents you as professional as well as persuasive. You can download them instantly.

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Though writing a salary increase letter may seem tedious, it is usually the best alternative. Some benefits of using a letter to convey your message to your employer include:

Both parties will feel more comfortable

Writing the salary increase letter puts you in a less awkward situation with your boss than discussing it upfront without a prior letter to notify your employer about your request. As a result, there is less nervousness as you give your reasons and your employers feel less pressure.

Formal documentation

Asking for the salary increase via a letter proves the document to be of formal origin, certifying the increase of your salary is taken seriously. In addition, putting it in a formal letter format formalizes the request before taking it up casually with your boss by discussing it with them face to face.

Helpful to organize your thoughts

In a letter, you can quickly sum up all your ideas with more convincing reasons why you deserve a pay raise than talking to your employer about it. With nervousness comes stuttering and forgetting the essential points you think are valid reasons for a pay raise. Presenting your request in a letter format helps you assemble your thoughts and strong points.

Who to Send?

Although different ethics work for various organizations and businesses, the salary increase letter should be addressed to whoever is responsible for directly paying you or giving additional bonuses. This person may be your direct manager, department head, or another person. If you are unsure who is responsible, you should find that out. Nevertheless, your salary increase letter should never be addressed directly to the employer, except you work directly with the organization’s director. Sometimes, directing your letter to the top employer may ruin your chances of being considered for a pay raise. Also, this may come off as unprofessional to a lot of people.

Recognizing the right time to ask for a salary increase is as important as putting up a reasonable request for a raise. If you want your request answered in affirmation, the right timing is critical.

Here are some possible situations in which you can send a salary increase letter:

When your salary is less than its market value

If, after thorough research, you observe you are underpaid, you should immediately ask for a pay raise. Use legitimate resources like Salary.com and so on to back up your claim.

When the company is in an excellent financial condition

There never can be a better moment to chip in a salary increase letter than when the organization is reaping bountiful profits.

After improving your skills and qualifications

Suppose you have recently finished a new high-paying skill that helps your role or earned a higher qualification while on the job. It would be best to let your employer know about your recent achievement and send a salary increase letter.

When you’ve completed a large project     

If you, singly or with a team, completed and sealed off a big project/task, that’s a good time to ask for a pay raise.

When you are given more responsibilities

If your title and job description haven’t changed and more work is added, you should consider writing a salary increase letter.

After a year from the last salary increase

Most organizations have made it a ritual to consider an increase in the pay raise of its employees at a said period every year. Harnessing this opportunity will likely yield a positive response from your employers without you appearing too keen for a raise.

After a performance review

When employees’ performances in your organization are being evaluated and fall into the good books, this may be the perfect time to send the salary increase letter.

Note:

It is unwise to ask for a pay raise if the organization is battling a severe financial crisis or laying off staff to remain afloat and in operation. Also, requesting frequently will hinder your future chances of being considered for a raise, even when you deserve one. Therefore, always play smart when sending the salary increase letter.

Like the draft of every official letter, a salary increase letter will contain similar sections, the difference being the purpose of writing. Therefore, an official letter should include a header, introduction, body, and concluding sections.

These sections are further explained below:

Header

The header of the salary increase letter should include the following information:

Date

The letter’s current date should be written at the top of the letter in the header bar.

Your name, job description, and contact

Your full name, job description in the organization, telephone number, and additional addresses, if necessary, should be written in full at the top of the letter.

Employer’s name, job title, and contact

The name of your boss, manager, or any other person you are addressing the letter to should be written. In addition, their job titles and offices, contact information, and social media handles may be added.

Subject title

A short title capturing your reason for writing the letter should be written. This title should be specific and to the point.

Greetings

Keep your salutations as brief and as professional as possible, keeping in mind that this is an official letter, even if there’s a healthy relationship between you and your employer.

Introduction

A clear, concise, and detailed short paragraph addressing your primary purpose of writing a letter to your employer should stay in the introductory section. For example, the purpose of this letter is for a salary raise should be explained.

Body

The body of the letter usually consists of the following information:

Give reasons for the increase

In asking for a salary increase, you need to convince your employer with reasons why he should consider your request for a pay raise. Start with valid reasons which will be organized and thoughtfully written.

Your achievements and accomplishments

Adding your accomplishments to the letter will help a long way on your request. These listed achievements should be much more recent, primarily those after your last salary raise.

The exact raise you want

Come clean on the total amount you want for the pay. Do proper holistic research on recognized sites to find out. Usually, raises may be given at a fixed level or as percentage raise. Do not leave this at the judgement of your organization to solve.

Appreciate for considering your request

End the letter with a polite appreciation for considering your request. Appearing polite in your letter will play a huge role.

Conclusion

Your signature with a salutation is written at the bottom of the letter to show your alliance with the letter’s content. This is required in every formal letter.

How to Ask for the Salary Increase via Email?

Due to technological advances, emails are now the primary source of communications in most offices. Therefore, minor tweaks should be made to keep the salary increase letter to be sent by mail.

These tweaks made are:

• You must remove all addresses and shorten the paragraphs you wrote on the hard copy letter.
• Keep your request concise and meaningful. There is no need to beat around the bush while sending an email.
• You must choose a subject line that captures the purpose of your request.
• Edit the letter and correct spelling errors. Also, send yourself a copy to check if the layout is still intact. If the content is well aligned, you can send a copy to your boss.

Knowing what to do and what you should never attempt in the salary increase letter will reduce the chances of that awkward moment you want to avoid.

Do’s

Here is a list of Do’s that you should while in writing your letter:

Do your salary research

Before you present a salary increase letter to your boss, it is wise to research the present situation in the company, the organization’s capacity, and salary scale. Then, make a comparison to other organizations with similar activities and structures.

Back it up with proof

To the best of your ability, explain how you came up with the salary you asked for. Your explanation in the salary increase letter should reflect your increasing results and values, new responsibilities and goals you have achieved, and most importantly, the average salary scale of individuals of your position and duties in other organizations.

Wait for the right time

Wait until it is the best time to send the salary increase letter. Be conversant with your organization’s finances, so you don’t ask for a raise at one of the wrong moments, when the organization is merely staying a float. Remember, the right timing is vital!

Don’ts

Here is a list of few essential mistakes that you should avoid in your letter:

Hinting your financial condition                      

Even if you are going through a difficult situation with your finances, using this as an excuse may attract pity, but it is never a solid point to be included in why you deserve a pay raise.

Discussing salaries of co-workers

The letter should serve the purpose for which it is created; to give more valid reasons why you deserve a pay raise. On no account should your colleague’s salary be used to bolster your point. It is unprofessional.

Complaining

The tone of your letter should be evaluated so never try to sound desperate for a raise by making unnecessary remarks in your letter. Instead, be considerate and wise in watching your tone as you write.

Discussing your company’s present financial condition

Your organization is yielding profits thousands of times does not mean they owe you a salary increase. Including a statement implying this may come off as being unprofessional.

No one says you can’t walk up straight to your boss to demand a pay raise. But if you want to keep your job and your demand to be taken seriously, writing a salary increase letter to request a pay raise is the best bet with the most positive responses.

With a beautifully crafted letter, there’s a full assurance that you will yield very positive responses every time you apply this guide to write. In addition, with the samples and template provided to help you write the salary increase letter so that your boss find it difficult not to respond positively to your plea, if of course, you deserve the raise.

About This Article

Authored by:

Zhaniece Hill

Human Resources Specialist | Masters of Business, MBA, BAS Operations Management and Supervision

Zhaniece Hill, an accomplished author, and writer, possesses an extensive 9-year journey as a seasoned Human Resources professional. With a Master's degree in Business Administration, Hill's profound insights into human capital management have been shaped by a diverse background spanning public and private sectors. Expertise in talent acquisition, onboarding, employee engagement, and benefits define Hill's remarkable HR acumen. With an unyielding focus on results, Hill's legacy is characterized by innovative HR solutions that elevate employee satisfaction, retention, and overall business performance. Continuously seeking fresh challenges, Zhaniece Hill utilizes her expertise to create a lasting impact in the realm of HR.