How should I ask my employer for a raise?

MLG1980

Following a career break of 2 years, just over 12 months ago I took an office job that was just above minimum wage working for a medium sized businesses. Earlier this year before Covid 19,  approximately 20% of staff in the department were fired. All for various but apparently legitimate reasons. Training for the role I was in, was pretty poor and I wasn't performing so well and expected to be next in line to be let go, but instead, the week lockdown commenced I was offered a move to the finance department. Prior to my career break I had worked in a finance type role but in the public sector rather than corporate so although I was told my salary would remain the same and I would have a 6 months probationary period, I jumped at the chance. 
I am now at the end of my probation period in which I have performed beyond expectation. I have smashed targets which the team previously hadn't met in over 3 years and identified a number of bad practices and made suggestions for improvement which have saved the company time and money.
  I know that I am significantly underpaid for my work. The industry minimum is almost £6k a year more than that which I currently earn. I do want to ask for a pay rise but don't know when would be the best time or how. I am very aware we are in the midst of a pandemic; we still have staff that are furloughed but the business has faired better than most, and  is recovering well from the downturn in March. I don't know if I should ask the question about pay at the end of my probation in a couple of weeks,  or wait until next March when I will  have been in the role for 12 months and things may have improved globally with regards to the pandemic.  Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

AskAsk

wait unti the damn pandemic is over.  until then continue to do your job well.  i find that employers don't give you a payrise because you ask for one but they do so when it comes to pay review and they think you deserve a raise.  in better times if you feel you are not paid enough then you could look for another job with better pay, using your existing position as anchor.

getmore4less

You make sure the people that need to know(that's those up the command chain) know what you have done.

If any of your changes have improved the performance of any other team you make sure their boss know it was you that made the changes happen.

higher up you can get your name known for doing good stuff the better

At end of probation review, ask for one if not automatic, go over the performance so far and ask for new goals to be set for the next 6 months offering up any ideas you already have asking what you need to do to get the next promotion.
If you can see a role in the business you could do that uses your skills maybe suggest yours current position is rescoped to take on new tasks and  responsibilities

Sell yourself as valuable for the future, don't just ask for more money

TELLIT01

Have you been told you have successfully completed your probation, or are you assuming that because the 6 months has elapsed?  If you haven't had formal notification that is the first thing you should address.  As some staff are still furloughed I wouldn't be pressing the pay rise issue at this stage.  Continue to do your job well and raise things once the situation is more normal.

Takmon

It all depends on what kind of relationship you have with your company/manager. Personally I get on well with my manager so I have previously spoke openly to him about a pay rise and how I justify that amount and he took it to HR and I ended up getting it. 

Comms69

AskAsk said:

wait unti the damn pandemic is over.  until then continue to do your job well.  i find that employers don't give you a payrise because you ask for one but they do so when it comes to pay review and they think you deserve a raise.  in better times if you feel you are not paid enough then you could look for another job with better pay, using your existing position as anchor.

Literally one of the reasons for the gender pay gap.....

Marcon

AskAsk said:

wait unti the damn pandemic is over.  until then continue to do your job well.  i find that employers don't give you a payrise because you ask for one but they do so when it comes to pay review and they think you deserve a raise.  

You may have found that, but people who ask for pay rises, and are genuinely worth them, tend to be offered them more readily than those who sit quietly hoping.

OP, you've clearly got a very high opinion of all you've achieved, but the critical question is whether your employer shares your view.  Instead of going in for emotional rhetoric such as 'smashing' targets (subjective), go for a clear, calm and factual approach which brooks no argument. Numbers speak far louder than hyperbole, even when the latter is entirely justified.
If you have a formal review at the end of your probation period, nothing at all to stop you raising the matter, provided you don't paint yourself or your employer into a corner. With a further national lockdown highly likely, now isn't the moment.

JReacher1

Six months ago you expected to be fired for poor performance.  I think it’s probably too early to ask for a pay rise based on a good six month probation period. 

You should ask after you’ve done a year in the role.  

k12479

Asking for a pay rise after only a year and only six months in the role seems very early. Some would see this as you accepting a salary that you weren't really happy with, that you're now trying to correct and that you'll be asking for a raise again every year to close the gap, will get demotivated and then under-perform and/or leave. None of which are likely to help your career prospects there.

A better approach may be to wait a year or so, document and quantify actual achievements (because, to be honest, significant achievements in only 6 months is a little unconvincing) and then ask for a big(ger) raise. Alternatively, look for a new job.