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Let’s just put it this way: asking for a raise is not the most pleasant thing out there. After all, this survey shows how grim the reality of doing so may be: a whopping 33% of employees who were denied a raise were provided no rationale. And of those who did receive some rationale, just over 25% actually believed it. Do I smell some serious communication issues happening between employees and their employers?

This story comes from an Imgur user who said he had been going “above and beyond” every day for the last 3 years until he finally asked for a merit raise. However, instead of an encouraging approval, the employee received a cold “no” without explanation.

Read the full story below, which for many may sadly sound all too relatable, and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments. Also, whoever has been in a similar position, let us know how you handled it.

Image credits: SSGCatfish

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It takes a lot of courage after gathering all your confidence, support and feedback from your co-workers to go to your superior and ask for a raise. So it’s only fair to get very upset after being denied one, especially if you feel and know that you really deserve this one. And you’re far from the only one.

In fact, a PayScale survey found that a majority of companies said that they aren’t planning to provide a meaningful pay increase to their staff this year. Moreover, nearly 70 percent said they plan to provide pay increases of 3 percent or less to some of their employees. But what if you don’t take “no” for the end of conversation and continue the negotiation further?

Asking “why” is a fair follow-up question after being denied a raise. A question like “I’d really love to get a better understanding of why my request wasn’t granted. Is there something I can be doing more of?” is the way to go, according to Lydia Frank, vice president of content strategy at PayScale. And if your supervisor is not able to provide a clear answer, take it as a big bright red flag.

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And this is what people had to comment on this whole situation

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