Administrative jobs buck the trend in difficult economic conditions

-

Advertised administrative salaries held steady in October, showing one of the lowest month on month decreases across all office jobs, according to Office Angels and the latest data from mysalarychecker.com*.

The stability of these salaries across recent months suggests a continued understanding of the importance of administrative staff in running British offices.

Within advertised permanent roles, administrator jobs are most in demand across all sectors, benefiting from an average advertised salary of £20,430. Whilst this is down 4.18% on last year, the change since last month is negligible (0.06%), making it one of the most stable of all office jobs. Temporary roles are also faring well, with the £9 an hour average advertised wage remaining stable compared to both last month and last year.

Receptionist jobs are currently the lowest paid permanent roles, at an advertised average of £17,000. This has declined by 1.9% in year-on-year and 0.2% in the last month. Temporary receptionist wages are also the lowest in UK office jobs at just £7 an hour.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

David Clubb, Managing Director of Office Angels, commented:

“With unemployment at its highest level for 17 years, employers have access to a wider pool of talent than usual and can afford to offer lower salaries due to the intense competition for every role. Companies are also exercising caution in the face of a possible “double dip” recession and so are offering fewer roles and lower wages where possible.

“However, the high demand for administrators across all sectors and the relative stability of advertised salaries for this role reflect the importance of administrative staff in keeping British businesses up and running. Administrators underpin the work of everyone in a company, and some may find themselves taking on more responsibility as staff levels elsewhere in the business are decreased.

“Meanwhile, receptionist roles have seen a decline in advertised salaries. This could be a result of companies reducing the number of reception staff they employ during difficult economic times, leading to high demand for available roles and forcing candidates to compromise on pay.”

Scotland is home to both the best and worst performers, advertising salaries at both ends of the spectrum

Advertised salaries for permanent administrators in Scotland are the highest in the UK, outside of London, despite an ongoing decline. At £21,230, pay for the role has remained strong despite a decline of 3.83% on last year. The role’s temporary equivalent, however, has performed less well, with the advertised wage of £8 an hour coming in underneath the national average.

Meanwhile, advertised receptionist salaries in Scotland are the lowest in the UK at just £14,098, almost £3000 less than the national average, despite the fact that they have shown a comparatively high increase of 2.03% compared to last year. Temporary receptionist wages remain the same as the national average at £7 an hour.

Latest news

Exclusive: London bus drivers’ ‘dignity’ at risk as strikes loom over welfare concerns

London bus drivers raise concerns over fatigue and lack of facilities as potential strikes escalate long-standing welfare issues.

Whistleblowing reports ‘surge by up to 250 percent’ at councils as new rights take effect

Whistleblowing cases are rising across UK councils as stronger workplace protections come into force, though concerns remain about underreporting of serious issues.

Bullying and harassment to become regulatory breaches under new FCA rules

New rules will bring bullying and harassment into regulatory scope, as firms face rising reports of workplace misconduct.

Personalising the Benefits Experience: Why Employees Need More Than Just Information

This article explores how organisations can move beyond passive, one-size-fits-all communication to deliver relevant, timely, and simplified benefits experiences that reflect employee needs and life stages.
- Advertisement -

Grant Wyatt: When the love dies – when staying is riskier than quitting

When people fall out of love with their employer, or feel their employer has fallen out of love with them, what follows is rarely a clean exit.

£30bn pension savings window opens for employers ahead of 2029 reforms

UK employers could unlock billions in National Insurance savings by expanding pension salary sacrifice schemes before new limits take effect in 2029.

Must read

Ian Vickers: Strong emphasis on company culture breeds success

"There are several ways to utilise the opportunities that have arisen to steer a healthy culture, which is paramount in today’s working world."

Gary Cattermole: Is it the end of the office romance?

Gary Cattermole discusses the issues that can arise as a result of workplace relationships and offers suggestions about how they can be effectively managed.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you