How to Say Thank You for a Pay Raise to Your Boss

The question is how to tell your boss thank you for a pay raise.

Should you say thank you at all? Of course you should.

I’m going to share with you three simple ways to express gratitude for your increase.

• The handwritten note
• An email
• In person

I’ll also share some examples of what you could write in each of these,

Reasons You Should Say Thank You for a Pay Raise

The main reason you should say thank you after receiving a pay raise is the fact that most people will not say anything.

Are you happy about your increase? Are you unhappy because you didn’t receive nearly the amount that you believe you are worth?

If you say nothing, your boss has no clue how you are feeling or if you are even thankful at all.

You also don’t want to seem entitled, like the increase was expected, even if it was.

Some reasons you should say thank you for a pay increase include:

• You stand out more by saying yes than you do by saying nothing.
• Your boss will remember that you said thank you.
• Future communication with your boss about your pay will be easier for you.

It takes seconds to say “Thank you for the pay increase”. It’s worth the small effort.

If you need more reasons on why you should say thank you for the pay increase, check out this article.

Saying Thank You for a Pay Raise in a Note

I feel like I’m a little old school by loving a hand written note.

There’s something so personal about it. The fact that people still take the time to purchase a card and write down their thoughts means so much.

It’s like receiving a “Happy Birthday” through a social media post versus receiving a hand written card. The card took so much more effort – it doesn’t even matter what is written in the card. It’s the extra thought and time that matters.

So if you choose to write the thank you through a note, I’m proud of you!

The note doesn’t need to have anything pre-written on the inside or outside. I would purchase something very simple, possibly with a “Thank you” on the outside of the card with an image and blank on the inside so you can write your own personal message.

I love these:

I would stick with two to three sentences when writing your note.

Here are some example messages to write inside your card:

Dear Sandra,

The pay raise I received this week was very much appreciated. I am so thankful to be working for an employer that recognizes and rewards my efforts.

Thank you for all that you do.

Sincerely, Jen

Dear Sandra,

I was so excited to see that I received a pay raise this week!

This extra appreciation will continue to motivate me to give my all each and every day.

All the best, Jen

Dear Sandra,

Thank you so very much for the pay raise and recognizing my efforts.

It made my day!

Jen

Short and sweet works perfectly.

Sending Your Thanks in an Email

Sometimes, the message you are trying to send in an email or text isn’t always read the way you intended it to be.

Our mind seems to shift to the negative instead of the positive, even when there were zero negative intentions.

That being said, I think it’s important to keep your email short. Expressing gratitude is your sole purpose of the email. Bringing anything else up could possibly cloud your true intentions.

Even though the email should stick to the topic, you can definitely provide more context here compared to the hand-written note.

As for the subject line, keep it simple. Type in “Thank you” or “Appreciation” as the subject of your email. I would steer clear of the subject line revealing that you received a pay increase, as someone else could see the subject line.

Let’s give some examples of a “thank you for the pay raise” message in the form of an email:

Dear Sam,

I am so thankful for the pay increase I received!

The support you continue to give me does not go unnoticed. I always feel that you have my back.

Thank you for the recognition of my hard work.

I look forward to continuing to grow with you and the company.

Best regards,

Jen

Dear Sam,

Thank you so much for the salary increase.

It was completely unexpected and satisfying to know that my hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed.

The raise gives me motivation to keep pushing for change and efficiency in our department.

Thank you!

Jen

Dear Sam,

I sincerely appreciate the increase in my pay that I received this morning.

Your confidence in me and my work has never been questioned and I thank you sincerely for that.

I look forward to our future!

Sincerely,

Jen

Some of these are more enthusiastic than others. The professionalism of your email will depend the relationship you have with your boss.

The In-Person Thank You

The in-person thank you is a less formal option, but still a good one.

It could be a simple “Thanks for the raise, boss!” while grabbing your morning cup of coffee.

Your boss is likely to remember this way of saying thank you just as much as they would remember an email or handwritten note.

Some things you could say:

• Thank you for the pay raise.
• I appreciate the pay increase very much.
• Thanks for the salary increase.

Add a smile with a nod and you are golden.

Make sure you bring up the appreciation in a professional setting – the restroom wouldn’t be my first choice.

Don’t feel like you need any further conversation after you say thank you for the raise. Keep it simple.

How Not To Say Thank You

We’ve gone over what I consider the three best ways to say thank you:

• A Note
• Email
• In-Person

Let’s go over some of the ways you should definitely not say thank you.

Do not say thank you in front of others.

What if someone who heard did not receive a pay raise at all? You could create conflict for the boss that you’re trying to give your appreciation to.

What if your department was allowed to receive pay increases, but another department wasn’t and that department’s leader overhears?

Do not say thank you before you see the pay increase.

Perhaps you heard increases were coming and you want to tell your boss thank you as you’re super excited.

But what if at the last minute, it doesn’t go through for some reason? What if your sources were incorrect?

Hold the excitement in until after you actually receive the increase and you see it with your own eyes.

What if you aren’t happy with the increase amount?

I suggest still saying thank you. You are thankful to get something. However, use another time to justify why you deserve more.

This should motivate you to do some research on what companies are paying for a similar position. Or for you to go after a promotion so that you can have a jump in pay.

Read more in my article How to Ask for an Increase.

When To Say Thank You

Say thank you as soon as you realize you’ve received it.

There’s nothing to ponder here. You received a gift and thank you is what we say after we receive a gift.

That sounds a little harsh.

But to me, it’s a simple reply after receiving something.

Shooting off an email or walking over to your bosses’ office takes minutes at most.

If you want to do the hand-written thank you note but you need to make a run to the store, save the thank you for the next day. I would actually suggest keeping some blank cards in your desk drawer for this purpose.

Is it acceptable to wait a day or a few days before you say thank you? Yes, it’s acceptable but I wouldn’t advise it.

Your sincerity isn’t questioned if you seem like you can’t wait to say thank you.

Side Note: I am strongly against giving a gift to your boss, other than a card, after you receive a pay increase. This could be considered as somewhat of a kickback to your employer and we don’t want people gossiping.

Final Thoughts on Saying Thank You for the Pay Raise

Saying thank you goes a long way.

My experience has been that over 90% of individuals do not say anything at all after they receive a pay increase.

This is your chance to be remembered as the one of the few that took the time out of your day to show appreciation.

The next time the annual raise conversation comes up, your boss will remember that you said thank you.

Out of the three options (email, note, or in-person thank you) I personally would pick a note because that’s my style. Any of the three will work depending on your personality and your relationship with your boss.