Workers hesitate to request raises despite confidence in their current organizations and job prospects, according to Robert Half's Confidence Matters research project released today. The survey found 89% of US workers believe they deserve a raise, but only 54% plan to ask for one this year.

Instead of making the case for a pay bump, 32% said they would rather clean the house, 13% would prefer to look for a new job, 7% would rather get a root canal and 6% would prefer to be audited by the Internal Revenue Service.

The survey revealed several areas in which US workers are feeling upbeat; 80% of respondents are confident about the stability of their current employer, and 65% are more confident in their job prospects now compared to one year ago.

Workers were split as to what they would do if they asked — but didn’t get — the pay hike they wanted. The largest group of US respondents, 30%, would wait for the next performance review to ask again. Another 24% would ask for better perks and 19% would look for a new job.

When it comes to knowing what they’re worth in the market, the majority of US employees are keeping tabs: 59% of professionals have checked their salary against market rates based on third-party research within the last year and 20% have done so in the last month. However, 27% of US workers surveyed said they had never done this research.

“Self-confidence is the foundation of a successful career,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director at Robert Half. “Your professional growth and earning potential depend not just on the demand for your skill set, but also on your willingness and ability to negotiate with current and prospective employers.”

For Canadian workers, the survey found 73% are confident about the stability of their current employer, with 47% more confident in their job prospects now compared to one year ago.

The survey found 84% of Canadian workers believe they should earn more money, but only one-third feel confident asking for a raise, with that same amount planning to ask for one in 2015. Additionally, 43% have never checked their salary against the market rate or those of their peers and only 19% have checked within the last year.

“Employees with a firm understanding of their local hiring atmosphere have a definite advantage when it comes to asking for a raise,” said Greg Scileppi, president of Robert Half, International Staffing Operations. “Without proper research, you run the risk of either being unreasonable in your demands, or lacking the confidence to negotiate decisively.”

Scileppi also said, “Similarly for employers, inadequate understanding of market rates could result in losing great candidates or current employees due to weak offers or more competitive salaries elsewhere.”

Robert Half’s Confidence Matters research project outlines workers’ confidence levels and attitudes about a variety of career and salary issues. More than 1,000 US workers and 1,000 Canadian workers, employed full-time in office environments, were surveyed by an independent research firm for the project.