How to negotiate at work

For a lot of people, negotiation feels awkward. But the old adage is true: You don’t get what you don’t ask for. Luckily, like most things, negotiation gets easier the more times you do it. And the good news is that even if you don’t get everything you ask for, chances are you are likely to get some. In fact, according to one recent survey, 83% of people who negotiated their salary when they accepted a new job say they received higher pay.

Negotiation should be a conversation, not a power struggle

The first step in asking for anything (a raise, a promotion, remote work, more flexibility, a new assignment, etc.) is to approach the conversation as a collaboration instead of a power struggle. Statements like “I would love to understand what the opportunity is to get closer to this salary,” open up the conversation rather than shutting it down with a simple yes or no.

And if you do get a no, try setting expectations on a time frame to get to a yes by agreeing on benchmarks that you can reach and check back on in three to six months.

Preparation Part 1: Research

Research is important, both when you are negotiating your salary in a new role or hoping for a raise in your current job. The first step is to find out the market salary range for the position by using sites like salary.com, payscale.com, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Look to see what people with similar titles in your industry earn (just remember to factor in location and length of experience).

If it’s a new job, it can also be helpful to find out how long the company has been looking to fill the position and what kind of turnover there has been in the role. This can give you some insight into how urgent hiring is and how much of an advantage you might have.

Knowing whether the company is a lead payer or a mid-market or low payer also can inform how much you’re likely to get.

Preparation Part 2: Documentation

Documentation is key when you’re asking for something in your current job. If your company is requesting employees return to the office and you want to continue working from home, find out what leadership hopes to gain by having employees in the office.

If your manager is concerned with productivity, outline how your work output has stayed the same or improved in the time you’ve been working remotely and back it up with metrics. If they want to foster more collaboration, come with a plan for how you will check in with colleagues. And in all cases be ready to compromise. It may be hard to get an exception to a rule if it applies to all employees, but a compromise in the form of a hybrid schedule or flexible start times might be an option.

Finally, whatever you are hoping to achieve in a negotiation, it’s always best to be honest. Threatening to leave if you don’t get what you ask for (or claiming that you have another job offer) is likely not only to backfire but can also leave a sour note in your working relationship.