The manager’s perspective
While employees focus on making their case, it is also insightful to understand what managers prioritize during these negotiations.
Laura Mieloo, Group Manager, offers her insights from the manager’s perspective: “We are a pay for performance organization. High performers will get paid for it. I want my team to come up with examples of what they are doing. Just comparing to what others get paid doesn't impress me.”
Juliana Feller, who manages a team, stresses the employee’s responsibility to show continuous development. “You should be able to demonstrate your growth,” she advises. “Ideally you have a development plan, and you align with your manager which are the areas you need to improve and what kind of actions you can take.”
Juliana also favors transparency and clear communication from both sides. She urges employees to seek concrete feedback: “If your manager is not providing good input, consider finding a mentor to help you set relevant goals. Also, avoid complaining about your current salary and focus on yourself, your deliveries, and the value your work is bringing to the company.” Since pay and performance are typically linked, an employee must show that they are consistently overshooting their agreed-upon performance level to justify any claim for an increase or promotion.
The role of pay transparency in designing a fairer system
The discussion around fairness is fundamentally linked to the issue of pay transparency. According to Prativa Dhal, a Digital Product Area Owner, this is a topic with a significant, multifaceted impact.
“Pay transparency helps in fostering trust, promoting fairness, reducing salary gaps, and motivating employees who see fair compensation practices. However, it can also create tension if pay differences appear unjustified among employees.”
The level of comfort with discussing salary varies significantly depending on workplace culture and geography. However, the regulatory landscape is now shifting, particularly in Europe. The EU Pay Transparency Directive, set to roll-out across the European Union from June 7th, 2026, will introduce several significant changes aimed at strengthening the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.
Key measures include:
- Salary range disclosure: Candidates should be informed about the salary range prior to any salary negotiations.
- Hiring: Employers are banned from asking job applicants about their current or past salary.
- Employee Rights: Employees gain the right to request information about their own pay and the average pay of colleagues in comparable roles, along with information about potential pay progression and what impacts salary setting.
- Equal Pay: The directive is designed to strengthen the principle of equal pay for work of equal value between men and women.
- Joint Pay Assessments: If a gender pay gap of 5% or more is found that cannot be justified by objective, gender-neutral factors, employers will be required to conduct a joint pay assessment.
Final words
In the end, the most successful salary and promotion negotiators are those who prioritize preparation and evidence-based advocacy. They document their achievements, gather market data, and present a clear, fact-based case.
Let's give the final word to Emmi Söderlund, who believes that you need to remove your emotions from the salary negotiation process:
