The best day of the week to ask for a pay rise in the UAE

In a recent article in emirates247.com, their researchers spoke to local head-hunters in the UAE and asked them what they believed to be the best day of the week to ask for a pay rise.  I know, what most of you will be thinking, “Is there ever a good day to ask for a pay rise?“, however, the team at emirates247.com asked their panel of head hunters what the best day might be based on their experience of employers in the UAE.

So, what is the best day of the week to ask for a pay rise in Dubai?

Well, it depends; James Sayer, Director, Robert Half, Middle East suggested that Wednesday or Thursday is the best day to ask for a pay rise as executives tend to want to enter the weekend without conflict as they know these feelings can lead to unnecessary stress over the weekend.

Jennifer Campori, Managing Director, Middle East and Europe, Charterhouse Partnership, suggests that the best day to ask for a pay hike is the last working day of the week or the last working day of the month. Her rationale for this was that month-end tends to be a positive time for businesses that are doing well, and so if your business is excelling then this seems like a great time to ask for a hike. Additionally, your manager is likely to be in a positive mood on the last  day of the week, meaning they may be more open to a pay rise request.  Clearly, the strategy here is based around asking your manager for a pay rise when they are in a positive mood.

Krishna Patel, Managing Consultant, Media and Advertising at Quest Search and Selection also suggests that the last working day as a good day to ask for a pay rise, but says it can vary by sector

Is there really a perfect day to ask for a pay rise?

Of course, there is no perfect day to ask for a pay rise, as a pay rise is dependent on many more factors than the mood of your manager and the day that you approach them. So, I would argue that there are not only opportune days to ask for a pay rise, but I think there are several opportune moments when it is a good time to ask for a pay rise and these are;

1.Why not try asking for a pay rise after you have just had an excellent annual performance appraisal with your manager as your achievements and value will be very visible to them, increasing the chance of them granting you a pay rise.

2.If you can’t wait until the end of the year appraisal, you could also try asking for a pay rise after you have successfully completed a major project which was of significant value to the company or department.

3.You could try asking for a pay rise after the company or department has announced good financial performance figures as this could signal cash is available.

4.May be you could try asking for a pay rise after a colleague has resigned as the department may be under-staffed and the company may want to make sure they secure the services of the remaining team members, which means they could be open to a pay rise request.

Good luck with securing your pay rise!

About the author

Kazim Ladimeji is the Director of thecareercafe.co.uk—a resource for start-ups, small business and job seekers. It includes a blog with career and small business advice articles. Kazim is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, and has been a practising HR professional for 14 years.

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