One important factor in career advancement is achieving a yearly salary increase. Employees who receive faster raises are generally more motivated to keep working hard.
An annual salary increase reflects a positive career path, stability, and a bright future.
When employee salaries increase, companies succeed in boosting employee morale. Salary is a primary factor influencing a person's choice to work.
To advance quickly in a career, one must add value to oneself. With increased personal value, positions within a company can improve.
Rapid salary increases are often linked to the value an employee brings.
Let’s explore three ways to help employees get faster raises:
1. Training and Certification
Advanced training is essential for enhancing personal value for those working in technical or skilled fields.
For instance, a computer engineer might apply for advanced training to stay updated with the latest knowledge and skills.
Information technology evolves quickly. Technology in the market today may become outdated within less than a year as new technologies emerge.
For example, if a computer engineer is skilled at repairing Windows 10, they could request training on Windows 11 from their company.
Although both operating systems share some similarities, Windows 11 improves upon previous systems.
Thus, the computer engineer gains an additional important skill in computer repair.
Certified training can significantly boost an employee's value.
At the same time, it serves as a clear reminder to employers to consider a timely salary increase.
Employees are highly encouraged to take advantage of advanced training opportunities when offered.
Even if some companies sponsor this training with conditions, like a commitment to work for five years, these opportunities are often worth it.
2. Continuing Education
Furthering one’s education to a higher level is another key factor that can lead to a raise.
However, not everyone is willing to continue studying once they are comfortable earning an income.
“Are you thinking about furthering your studies? It could lead to a promotion.”
If ten people were asked this question, perhaps only one would answer yes, while the others would decline to continue their studies.
It’s understandable to decline, as everyone has valid reasons, such as family commitments, growing children, financial stability, and limited weekend time.
When studying while working, classes are typically only held on Saturdays or Sundays, with regular work on other days.
Many people view weekends as family time and don’t want to spend it on other activities. Fair enough!
Ideally, we should:
- Continue from a certificate to a diploma.
- From a diploma to a degree.
- From a degree to a master’s, thereby increasing our value. This opens up larger career opportunities ahead.
Some companies require specific educational levels for certain positions, and these roles usually offer better compensation than previous roles.
Naturally, salary will increase in line with these new roles.
Read more: 5 Tips to Make a Great Impression on Your First Day at Work
3. Salary Increases Through Work Experience
The longer one works, the more experience is gained.
Years of experience can come in various forms: technical, skill-based, theoretical, and managerial, all of which build knowledge and value over time.
Employees who specialize in a particular skill become highly valuable in their roles.
Imagine a building technician who has worked for one year supervising, monitoring, and managing facilities, compared to a technician with five years of experience.
The five-year technician is undeniably more valuable to the company.
If an experienced employee like this leaves, it means five years of knowledge and skill are lost, and a new employee would have to start from scratch.
As a result, the company would require five years to bring a new technician up to the same level of experience, costing time, money, and effort.
For this reason, companies often reward experienced employees with annual salary raises, bonuses, and specific allowances.
Experience is another important factor in achieving faster raises.
Add Value, Increase Salary
The formula for a quick salary increase is simple, as it is closely tied to the employee’s value. Nobody wants to stay at the same level indefinitely without improvement.
Whether through salary or position, progression is key to career growth.
A positive change can significantly impact how far an employee can advance in their career.
Let me ask you, what strategies do you use to get a quick raise? Share your thoughts in the comments!