Why Employees Don’t Ask for a Raise—Even When They Deserve One

By Shalene Gupta, Fast Company (TNS)

Ask and you shall receive—but what about those of us who dread asking? B2B Reviews, a platform that collects reviews for business-to-business companies, surveyed 1,000 employees in America to understand how they felt about asking for raises. If you’re afraid of asking for a raise, take heart: you’re not alone.

• Overall, most people are afraid of asking for a raise: 80% of Americans feel like they deserve a raise, but only 60% intended to ask for one, and 58% say they are afraid to do so. On average, people want a 10% pay raise.
• Fear is the biggest factor for not asking: 32% of Americans say they are hesitant to ask for a raise because they don’t know how to approach the conversation, and 28% because they’re afraid of hearing no, while 22% say they are worried about their job security.
• Getting the raise: 57% of people said they got a raise in the past without asking for one, but despite increasing awareness around pay transparency in recent years, two-thirds say they do not discuss their salaries with co-workers. What people do agree on: 70% would not trust AI to fairly decide upon a raise.