HR salaries have dropped since 2021, as research shows a stagnation in how much workers earn across the UK.
Research from Reed has revealed that advertised at 2.4 percent lower in 2021 after analysing 6.6 million jobs posted on its site over the last three years.
It found that advertised salaries in the HR sector have dropped on average, despite HR teams being faced with numerous business challenges over the course of the pandemic.
Human Resources Recruitment Expert at Reed, Bukola Odofin said: “HR as a function has been key for businesses navigating the pandemic, they’ve been essential when it comes to implementing Covid policies and managing furloughed staff.
“They’ve also had to bring businesses into a much-altered world of work with new focus on employee wellbeing and hybrid working, alongside a difficult recruitment market.”
North West sees growth for HR roles
However, there are some regions which are bucking this trend, for example in the North West there’s been a salary growth of 4% for HR roles. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, HR professionals are also seeing their salaries increase, by 3.8% and 3.6% respectively.
Areas such as the South West (9.2%) and North East (6.2%) have seen the biggest fall in wages. The fall in salaries is in the face of soaring living costs as the consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation reaches 5.5%, the highest rate since March 1992. Petrol, energy and food prices are also continuing to spike, meaning many HR professionals may find they have even less in their pockets.
Ms Odofin said: “Like many areas of business, it’s a struggle to get talented HR teams with the right skills for the future, particularly for businesses looking to recruit in a competitive, candidate-driven market.”
She advised businesses to move quickly if they wanted to find talented HR professionals. She said companies should also really consider what they are offering in their salary and benefits package. Her advice is to give people what they really want so the businesses making the offer really stand out from other companies also looking to boost their talent.
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.
