When A Payrise Is Off The Table

How to Negotiate the Value You Deserve — Without It Being About Money

Let’s be honest — sometimes, no matter how much you’ve earned it, a pay rise just isn’t happening. The company’s “review cycle” is six months away. Budgets are frozen. Or, your boss agrees you deserve more, but “it’s just not possible right now.”

It’s deflating — but not hopeless. Because money isn’t the only form of reward worth negotiating. In fact, when handled strategically, non-financial benefits can sometimes accelerate your career (and your future earning potential) far more than a modest pay bump ever could.

Of course, the EA Salary Survey reports are out very soon. So if your company is in a position to offer you a hike in pay, I’d recommend signing up to get the alert as soon as they’re out. Then you can benchmark your pay against your peers (i.e. not benchmarking yourself against a generic, country-wide figure, rather one which is aligned to your region and industry).

This article explores what to ask for instead — from training and extra leave to stretch projects and flexible arrangements — and how to position each as a win-win when pay is off the table.

---

1. The Real Value of “More”

It’s easy to equate “reward” with “salary.” But pay is just one dimension of value. Think about what really impacts your day-to-day satisfaction, growth, and wellbeing:

• Time (time off, flexible schedules, compressed weeks)

• Growth (training, mentorship, leadership exposure)

• Experience (cross-functional projects, secondments, visibility)

• Autonomy (decision-making power, trust, flexible working)

• Recognition (titles, influence, credibility)

When you expand your definition of value, you expand your options. A company that can’t pay you more might still have the means to develop, free, or empower you.

And those things — growth, freedom, and access — have compound interest. The next time you negotiate pay, you’ll be negotiating from a stronger position.

---

2. Training as Currency

Let’s start with one of the smartest “non-monetary raises” available: development.

Professional training, coaching, and certification can easily be worth thousands — and they pay dividends far longer than a one-time salary uplift. Courses in leadership, operations, or AI tools can make you exponentially more valuable — both to your current organisation and your next one.

How to pitch it:
Frame it as an investment in business capability, not a personal perk.