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Are there any well known professional, or frictionless ways to communicate this?

i.e. my intentions are clear. I would like to quit but I would stay if they pay me more. So obviously I could just quit but actually if they'd pay me more I would stay.

But I cannot find any convenient way to communicate this.

One could approach it as "ask for a salary rise, if they do not do it then quit" But I am more on the other side already, like I do not need to ask for the salary rise, have all that friction, then get a negative response, then approach to quit.

I am more on the side of: I quit immediately unless they increase my salary. And I'd rather communicate more in that direction than in the direction "I just want more salary".

Any ideas on how to communicate this?

Worker
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    What leverage do you have apart from threatening to quit? Because handing an ultimatum out of nowhere with a threat of immediate quitting isn't professional. – Kilisi Jan 26 '21 at 04:33
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    No, it is a different situation. I do not feel strictly speaking underpaid. I just wanna leave or either I would stay if they pay me more. – Worker Jan 26 '21 at 05:16
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    If you're not feeling underpaid, what makes you think that more money will make you happy in a job you want to leave? – Erik Jan 26 '21 at 08:10
  • If an employee came to me with the intention of leaving, I might try to buy me some time by giving them whatever is needed to have them stay (assuming I really need them) but certainly would start looking for a replacement right away. "Pay me more or I leave" is hardly ever turning into any good for both parties... – Laurent S. Jan 26 '21 at 10:09
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    That's why my question – Worker Jan 26 '21 at 10:17
  • It seems the reasons you want to stay are completely different from the reasons you want to quit. I don't find that as clear as you say. That's why you have it so hard how to communicate this. If you want to quit, quit. If you want more money, ask for it. No matter how you wrap it, any other kind of negotiation will always be understood as an ultimatum and will hinder the relation with your employer... – Laurent S. Jan 26 '21 at 11:16
  • The trick is clearly to avoid casting it as a confrontation. If you're not leaving for any reason other than pay, then the best approach would probably be to line another job up, and then simply have the conversation that "I've been feeling underpaid here for some time now and have been offered another position at £x for similar responsibilities. I haven't made a final decision yet so I'd like to broach whether there would be any interest in retaining me here at a similar market rate, before I make a decision to move on". £x should obviously be a significant improvement in pay and/or terms. – Steve Jan 26 '21 at 14:55
  • Ask for a pay raise. If they say "no", turn in your resignation two weeks later. They with either find a way to change their mind on the pay raise, or let you leave the company. It's best to have a new job ready for the latter scenario; and, it is a really good idea to think deeply if your company would fight to keep you. If neither of those are likely to happen, odds are it's a very risky time to ask for a raise. – Edwin Buck Jan 26 '21 at 14:59
  • here - option "1" https://workplace.stackexchange.com/a/168900/22844 – Fattie Jan 26 '21 at 15:06

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You really have to find a new job before you do this. Otherwise, it's quite weak... you have no real power in the negotiation. Without that pending offer, you can't really walk away, unless you want to outright quit to no job at all. That's a VERY bad idea; unless you want to bring a lot of financial pressure and stress down on yourself.

With an offer in hand, you can calmly, professionally, and politely ask to speak with him privately, and ask for more money. That's about as close to "frictionless" as you'll get. If he says no, then you can counter by saying that you have another offer. That puts it back in his court. If he maintains his no, then politely give two weeks notice.

You'll also be far, far more confident and firmer in your ask. He'll know you're serious. Unless you are a champion poker player, without a pending offer, you'll come across softer; he'll pick up on it, and know that he can refuse.

I would also have a list of reasons why you deserve more compensation.

In my opinion, all negotiations have an inherent "friction." It's just part of the game. There is a tension between the bid/ask price, regardless if it's a car, home, shares of TSLA(bid/ask spread), an old lamp at a garage sale, or a salary increase. Accept this, dig deep, and hold your ground. You're worth it.

kmiklas
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    How do you know I do not have another job? – Worker Jan 26 '21 at 05:17
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    @Worker you'd get more helpful answers if you put more details in the question. Answerers aren't psychic and will do their best with the information they have. – jcm Jan 26 '21 at 09:25
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    It's probably worth mentioning that even "winning" the negotiation will probably have a negative impact on OP's future relationship with employer. – Laurent S. Jan 26 '21 at 10:19
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    "You have no power in the negotiation." While this may be accurate for most cases, many financially independent individuals can likely quit their job on the spot without any real financial strain. – azthec Jan 26 '21 at 11:36
  • @LaurentS., that does unfortunately seem to be a very common perception amongst employers nowadays. It's bizarre really because it systematically undervalues the experience and stability of existing staff, forcing a constant churn and the loss of relationships and firm-specific embodied expertise amongst staff. – Steve Jan 26 '21 at 15:03
  • @Steve > I think that when the discussion turns out to be all about money you can consider your employee already has a foot outside. When you look at studies you see that money isn't usually the most important factor for employee retention. Even here, OP says he's not leaving because of the money. I would probably be more keen on discussing with someone asking for more responsibilities (and the raise that should go with it) or other changes (more holidays, better work-life balance, trainings,...) than just a bigger salary. – Laurent S. Jan 26 '21 at 15:41
  • @LaurentS., I don't think that claim has any solid basis. Employees do move for payrises alone, particularly if their existing employer habitually refuses to increase pay for existing hires (which may be inferred from the fact that nobody can ever speak of getting one). Employers may have pay policies, but then the refusal is purely attributable to that throughout, not to the employee "having a foot out". Indeed, the employee may only have a foot out because his pay will not be increased to the external market level otherwise. – Steve Jan 26 '21 at 16:43
  • Compensation is far more than just dollars into a bank account. It is the most powerful statement of an employee's value and worth to the organization. – kmiklas Jan 27 '21 at 03:02
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    @kmiklas Totally agree. I loved my job. Still do in fact. By the time I walked out hoping for a counteroffer, it was less about the money itself and more about the lack of respect, appreciation, and progression that the lack of money implied. – Kaz Jan 27 '21 at 14:33