Salary Increment Request After One Year

When and how to use this letter

Send this letter only after you have completed a full twelve months of service, and ideally two to three weeks before your company's annual appraisal or budget-planning cycle. Managers can only include increments in the budget if they know about your request in time, so a well-timed letter works far better than a perfect one sent too late. Address it to your direct manager first; HR processes increments, but the recommendation almost always starts with your manager.

Keep the tone collaborative rather than demanding. You are opening a negotiation, not issuing an ultimatum, so phrases like 'I would like to discuss' work better than 'I deserve'. Lead with measurable results instead of adjectives: revenue generated, costs saved, deadlines beaten, clients retained. Avoid the three classic mistakes — comparing your salary with colleagues', threatening to leave, and apologizing for asking — because all three weaken your position.

After sending, expect a discussion rather than an instant answer, since most increments need approvals from HR and finance and take two to four weeks. If the answer is positive, ask for the revised figure and its effective month in writing. One non-obvious tip: attach a one-page summary of your year's key results to the letter. Managers routinely forward exactly that page to their own bosses, so write it to convince your manager's manager as well as your manager.

Frequently asked questions

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