By Rachel Chan

THE time is now, or employees might have to wait another 12 months.

The last calendar year has just ended. Bonus letters are being given out. Managers will discuss with their staff their previous year's performance and set targets for the new year. Which makes the start of the year a good opportunity for employees to ask for a raise, human-resource (HR) experts said.

"It is best to discuss pay increment during the one-on-one session (with your manager)," said Mr Josh Goh, assistant director of corporate services at HR consultancy The GMP Group.

Whether or not one gets the raise is dependent on how well the company has done in the previous year, but, most importantly, it hinges on the employees' performance.

"It is best to prepare a list of achievements and accomplishments to justify the demand for a pay increment," said Mr Goh.

The fundamental question employees should ask themselves is this: Have key performance indicators (KPIs) been met or exceeded?

Other factors that influence salary include the company's policies and practices with regard to staff turnover, retention, recruitment and headcount, as well as the firm's performance in the industry and the available budget it has for increments.

One should avoid citing inflation as a reason in asking for a raise or, worse, compare one's pay package with that of a colleague, Mr Goh said.

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