I stayed loyal for 8 years and got a $2,600 raise. My colleague who quit got $15,000 more. Do I have to leave to finally get paid?

Unfortunately, far too many workers aren’t aggressive about negotiating their salary, as 57% of employees admit they’ve never asked for a pay increase. This can leave workers falling behind, especially the most loyal ones in high-paying positions. In fact, among workers earning $125,000 or more, 30% of tenured employees end up making less than newer coworkers.

This is exactly the situation Joe is facing. Let’s pretend Joe worked for the same company for eight years. He’s received good reviews and modest pay increases totaling $2,600 over that time. But now Joe discovered that his coworker Tim quit, but was lured back with a $15,000 pay increase. This news has Joe wondering if he must leave for the company to know his worth.

So, should Joe quit, or is there a different approach to take?

Joe should assess the data and consider a last-ditch request

While Joe is naturally upset, he’s likely looking at the wrong metric. “Comparing your situation to your colleague isn’t going to help here,” Sara Brioschi, PeopleTopics founder, told Moneywise. “The information about pay matters, but it’s not your identical reference point. Your colleague could be in a position that’s more challenging to replace, or they could be high performers, or the company could be just buying time to find a replacement.”

Instead of focusing on what your colleague earned, experts recommend that Joe look inward. “Do an honest assessment of your skills and knowledge compared to your coworker,” Brian Pulliam, founder at Refactor Coaching, told Moneywise.

Joe’s position may not justify a raise, given the value of his skills. That’s why Brandon Bramley, founder of The Salary Negotiator LLC, told Moneywise that Joe should “research compensation data for your role both in terms of base salary and total compensation to understand the pay ranges and where your current comp falls.”

If it turns out Joe is underpaid, he can develop a plan to move forward. “I would quietly test the market, research what comparable roles are paying, and document the results I’ve delivered over those eight years. Then I’d meet with my manager and make a specific, evidence-based request for a market adjustment, not simply argue that a coworker received more,” Matthew Warzel, president of MJW Careers, told Moneywise.

“There’s a lot of bad advice out there claiming you need to quit or get another job offer before asking for more pay, but in my experience using compensation data instead is a much better route,” Bramley said.

Consider your priorities when it comes to your work

While pay is important, Joe may also want to think about the big picture when it comes to his career.

“Identify how well your current job aligns with your lifestyle,” Pulliam said. “Comparison really can be the thief of joy, so it’s good to do an annual check that your role is aligned with your lifestyle and long-term goals.” He also urged Joe not to forget about the “non-money criteria.”

“A job with a healthy work-life balance, a supportive manager that advocates for you, in a stable role that allows you to grow is really hard to find, and that is worth something,” Pulliam said. “Only you can decide how valuable those things are to you.”

Of course, now that Joe is upset that his coworker has been given a much bigger raise, he’ll need to consider whether he’ll ever be truly satisfied if he stays.

“I’ve found that those who accept money to stay more often than not end up resenting it within months, if not sooner, said Kyle Elliott, founder and executive coach at CaffeinatedKyle.com. “The money doesn’t address the deeper issue that made them want to leave: feeling undervalued in the first place.”

Decide if you’re really willing to switch

If Joe doesn’t get a raise, he has a tough choice to make. Is he ready to jump ship?

“If they don’t negotiate and improve your pay, then it’s worth looking for another role,” Bramley said. “There’s no reason to stay put in a role or company where you’re underpaid, and you’ll usually see the biggest pay increases by changing companies.”