How do you respond to an employee who is asking for a pay rise?

If you are thinking of giving your staff a pay rise that’s great, but what if your pharmacy is not in a position to increase wages at the moment?

BE PREPARED

If an employee is asking for a rise outside of your usual pay and performance review period, then it’s likely that others will find out and come to you with the same request. It might help you break the news if you can explain what other pharmacy businesses are doing with regards to pay increases, so try to find out whether your competitors are increasing wages or not.

LISTEN TO YOUR STAFF

Studies have found that money is not always the main motivator when it comes to staff feeling valued at work, so do your employee the courtesy of listening to why he/she feels a pay rise is deserved.

CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES

If you can’t give them a pay rise think what else you can offer, from more training, to extra holiday entitlement or flexible working. Times are still tight for many businesses, so this might also help you hold onto staff who otherwise may be tempted to jump ship for more money elsewhere.

TIMETABLE A REVISIT

If you are turning your employee’s request down, agree to review your decision in three months. If they are a valued member of staff and threaten to resign, don’t be tempted to offer them more money to stay unless you can afford it as this may open the floodgates for requests from other staff.

EQUAL PAY

Bear in mind that employers must not discriminate in the amount that they pay their staff by, for example, paying women less than men doing work of equal value. For more advice or if you are accused of being unfair, speak to the Citizens Advice Bureau or other specialist organisations.

REMEMBER....

Be clear about your reasons for turning down the request; be willing to consider other options for reward or recognition; and be prepared that your employee might look elsewhere for the salary and conditions that they want.