How to negotiate at work

7 Mar

Negotiating at work can feel intimidating and often something we don’t think relates to our day-to-day work life. But in reality, whatever our career, we all have to negotiate, whether it’s a pay rise, navigating a new project, work boundaries, or securing a new contract. It’s also something we can learn and improve, so, here are our top tips on how to negotiate in the workplace:

Remember you are always negotiating

Negotiating may conjure up images of big board rooms and men in suits, but so many of our day-to-day interactions are small negotiations. By recognising your successful negotiations throughout a normal week, you will feel more confident about negotiating in the workplace. Talked to your partner about where to live? Gone back and forth with the landlord on rent? Figured out where to meet a friend for dinner that’s convenient for you both? You’re negotiating!

It’s not about “winning”

You’ll be better at negotiating if you don’t see it as “I want X and I win if I get it”. Have an ideal outcome in mind then put yourself in the shoes of the people you need to negotiate with. What is their perspective? Why might they have a different view? Ask yourself what your dealbreakers are and what you could let go or compromise on to stop yourself from negotiating around the wrong thing, or being inflexible because you feel that a successful negotiation means winning on every point. Remember what you want from the situation, what you can control, and that the end outcome is the focus, not necessarily how you get there.

Start with commonalities

When we approach negotiating, our starting point can often be where people don’t agree rather than the commonalities. By starting with what you have in common, you make the other party feel more at ease and you may be halfway to negotiating already.

Be prepared

Make sure you do your research and have the evidence to back up your points of negotiation. This will show that you’re taking the issue seriously and that what you’re asking for is based on research, and evidence that is not wildly diverging from what appears typical. For example, if you’re negotiating your salary, going into a discussion with robust data and research on typical pay for your role within your industry and comparable employers and why your skills and experience mean you fall into that salary bracket may land better than saying you deserve a pay rise because you work hard.

Less is more

We can feel that we need to justify our worth. This can lead to long explanations of why you need or deserve something, like a pay rise or a certain project which can lead to you going off-topic and not making an impact with your points. It can also make you appear defensive and not allow space for a collaborative conversation. If you struggle with this, make a list of everything you think you need to say, then pick out the 2-3 most impactful points and then how you segue into asking for what you want. This will frame your negotiation around a small number of hard-hitting points but quickly open up to a more collaborative conversation.

Remember, keep that end goal in mind throughout all of these tips.

Karmjit Kaur