Salary growth in the HR sector has fallen behind the UK average. Over the past year, HR salaries increased by 4.8 percent, compared to the national average of 6 percent.
However, some HR roles are bucking the trend with notable increases. According to research from recruitment company Reed, salaries for shared services managers rose by 21.6 percent, organisational development specialists by 15.2 percent, and reward managers by 11.5 percent.
Despite this slower overall growth, HR roles continue to offer higher pay than the UK average, with an average salary of £48,400 compared to the national average of £38,900. Still, dissatisfaction with pay remains an issue. Reed’s research found that all HR professionals who were unhappy with their salaries cited a failure to keep pace with the cost of living as the main reason.
HR Professionals Seek Better Pay and Benefits
Reed’s annual salary guide analysed over 21 million job adverts and surveyed 5,000 UK workers about their pay and benefits expectations.
Alexia Catt, Human Resources Recruitment Expert at Reed, said, “UK employees are navigating tough times. Although some wages have risen, they generally don’t keep pace with inflation and the escalating cost of living. With more than three quarters (79%) of HR professionals open to new job opportunities, the sector needs to look at how best to incentivise and reward its workers.”
For employers unable to offer significant salary increases, Catt emphasised the importance of benefits packages.
“Tailored benefits can significantly impact employee satisfaction, signalling an organisation’s commitment to supporting work-life balance and wellbeing,” he said.
The survey found that in addition to salary increases, HR professionals would feel more valued if they received more recognition for their achievements (27%), more flexible working hours (27%), clearer career progression (23%), and better communication from leadership (23%).
