Script: How to advocate for your team members in salary review discussions

Advocating for your team is an important skill for managers to develop, particularly during moments that matter - like when pay is up for discussion.

As a manager, you’re likely to have a good picture of the context your team members are operating within and how they’re performing. However, when it comes to reviewing compensation, it’s often leadership or a remuneration committee that have the final say.

There are good reasons for this approach - organisations need to ensure that decisions about pay and promotions are made fairly, consistently and within budget. However, it’s your responsibility as a manager to understand how decisions about compensation are made, so that you can put forward a clear case when warranted.

This script will help you prepare to advocate for your team members - either verbally, or by submitting a written proposal, depending on your organisation’s pay review process.

Some top tips before we dive in:

Every organisation has a different pay philosophy and approach to salary reviews - so please consult your company policy to help you customise this script.

If you don’t have a documented pay review process, speak to a member of your People team or leadership to understand how decisions are made (and advocate for greater transparency!)

Most organisations will have different criteria for salary increases and promotions - so make sure you pay close attention to the distinction.

If your company practices salary transparency, look at where your team member currently sits within the pay band for their role. It may also be helpful to benchmark internally if there are a number of people who perform the same duties.

It’s useful to familiarise yourself not just with the review process itself, but also with the language used in the policy, so that you can mirror it in your proposal.
It might be useful to reference other documents like role profiles or 360 feedback to support your case.

Avoid bringing personal circumstances into the discussion. Pay is an emotive topic - but most companies try to make salary decisions as objectively as possible, based on criteria like performance, movements within the market and increased responsibility.

Say

Hi all, I wanted to discuss my proposal for a merit-based pay increase for [employee name] today.

I’m proposing a [x%] increase, from [£X to £X].

[Employee name] has demonstrated consistently high performance in their role. To share some of their key achievements over the last [pay review period]...

[List tangible achievements, highlighting contribution to team goals and personal growth.]

Listen

Answer any initial questions. If possible, make sure you have contextual information such as the date of your team members last pay increase to hand.

Say

From here, my intention is to support [team member] to develop in [specific areas] and work towards a promotion within the next 12-18 months.

Say

Thank you for listening - does anyone have any questions or challenges?

How to respond to pushback:

there are many reasons why salary increases might not always be approved immediately. Listen carefully to the rationale and stay calm. If appropriate, provide further evidence.

If a salary increase is not immediately feasible, you may want to put forward alternative ideas, such as a one off reward. You should also seek clarity on when the decision can be revisited.

Next steps to consider

If your team member’s salary increase or promotion is approved, make sure you make the moment meaningful when you communicate the good news, highlighting the hard work that you’re recognising with this adjustment.

If your team member’s pay adjustment is not approved, give your team member as much context as possible on the decision, referencing your organisation's policy around pay and promotions and any external factors.

Regardless of the outcome, it’s important to focus on the future after any salary decision. Use this opportunity to revisit your team members personal and professional goals and reiterate that you’re in their corner and keen to help them develop further.

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