“For whatever reason, a lot of engineers aren’t asking for the pay rise that many of them doubtless deserve,” Owen Goodhead, managing director, Randstad Construction, Property and Engineering, said. “It’s also a concern that nearly half of those surveyed are worried that even asking for a raise could put their jobs at risk. This simply shouldn’t be the case. It’s important that if people feel like they deserve a raise, they ask for one.”
Meanwhile, 63% of the engineers surveyed said that they haven’t asked for a pay rise at all in the past three years. Just 12% have asked for a pay rise each year over the past three years, while 25% of engineers have asked for a pay rise either once or twice in the past three years.
Asked what puts them off asking for a raise, 32% of engineers that responded said they feared their employer's reaction, 12% said the idea of having to work longer hours, 28% said the idea of having to justify why they deserve a raise and 25% are put off by the fear of being turned down.
Goodhead added: “The key is to make a clear and methodical case for why you deserve a pay rise and to back it up with plenty of examples of how you are adding value and why you will achieve even more if your salary is increased.”
