Working from home or a coworking space removes the nuisances of traditional workplaces, including frigid air conditioning, office politics, and rush hour traffic. Despite this, having a remote job doesn’t spare you from the occasional need to have difficult conversations with your superior.

One of the most dreaded discussions for employees is learning how to ask for a raise or promotion. This feeling is amplified for the virtual worker who feels disconnected from their manager. Even for those who are a cubicle away, there’s no easy way to broach this subject.

Just because you’re location-independent doesn’t mean you’re ineligible for the same rewards as an onsite employee though. If you believe it’s time to seek a bigger paycheck, we have some tips on how to ask for a salary increase in the most professional way possible.

How to Ask for a Raise as a Remote Worker

Do your homework

You want to be sure that the amount you’re asking for is within the bounds of the job market today. Carrying out some research will enable you to know what a competitive wage is for someone in your location or position. Check out websites like Glassdoor or Indeed for salary information.

Consider whether your employer is capable of giving you an increase too. It might be that you’ve closed a huge deal recently or they’re laying off people. For the latter, it may be better to seek additional leave credits or a share in the company instead.

Provide proof of performance

When asking for a bump in your pay, you need to build your case and document the value you’ve brought to the bottom line of the business. Numbers are more convincing than words, so use them in describing your accomplishments: tasks completed, reports sent, deals closed, and so on.

There are tools online you can use to track all the things you’ve worked on and finished. This way, you’ll have an easier time gathering the evidence you need to convince your superior that you deserve that raise. Having proof also makes you feel more confident in asking.

Prepare to talk things over

For those wondering how to ask for a raise successfully, realize that it’s more than just providing evidence of your performance. You should get yourself ready to discuss things with your superior and explain the information you’ve gathered in detail.

Take a look at your remote job description to check that you’re fulfilling all your responsibilities. If you’ve gone above and beyond, mention these instances. Be prepared to listen to your manager as well. Even if you don’t get a raise now, you’ll be on their mind for the future.

Choose the best time

An important first step in knowing how to ask for a raise is picking the best time to have the conversation. Find out if your employer has a policy about granting pay raises only during performance reviews. You should be able to learn about that on your employee handbook or contract.

Consider the season that your company is in as well. Not the climate conditions but the financial situation. If the organization is seeing lower profits, your request isn’t going anywhere no matter how good an employee you are. Your boss has other matters to consider over a single remote worker.

Have the right attitude

Mind your language when communicating with your supervisor. Perhaps they’re particular about their employees being formal when speaking with them on video or email. Hence, be careful that you aren’t using terms that are too casual for a professional setting.

Additionally, avoid phrases such as, “I think” or “I feel” as it makes you appear hesitant or unsure about your contributions to the company. Go for action words that portray confidence in your work, experience, and skills. Examples include “I completed” or “I contributed”.

Get some practice in

Ask a friend or family member to role-play with you as your superior. Rehearse and refine your answers for questions about the competitive salary you’ve researched, the money you’ve saved the business, and the ways you’ve helped to boost productivity among other things.

Emotions don’t always carry over well when conversing on video so practice in a conference call, if you can. Your relative or friend can provide you honest feedback about your approach, body language, phrasing, and tone. They can tell you if you need to sound more convincing and such.

Ready a backup plan

It might be that you’ve taken the right steps on how to ask for a salary increase but your manager still turns you down. In that case, ask them what it would take to qualify for one in the future. Find out what steps you can take to earn it.

Take the initiative and tell your supervisor about your career goals. By making them aware that you’re actively expanding your skill set and work connections, you’re putting yourself in a better position for a bump in your wages even if you won’t be getting one immediately.

Send a follow-up email

If your boss has given you a favorable response, even if it isn’t an affirmative, make sure that you follow up after a while. If they’ve told you that they may give you a raise in the next quarter, ask about it in the following quarter.

If they’ve told you that they need more time to review your performance, give it a month before seeking more information about it. Set a reminder on your calendar so you won’t forget. Also, remember to send a thank-you email even if your appeal is rejected.

Yet to Find a Remote Job?

It can be tricky to know how to ask for a raise successfully. It’s intimidating to request for more money even if you’re good at what you do or the company is seeing greater revenues. This shouldn’t stop you from giving it a try all the same.

If you haven’t gotten to the stage where you can ask for a raise and are instead on the hunt for remote work, we at Remote Workmate can give you a hand. We’re connected to clients searching for virtual professionals and you may just be who they’re looking for.