Nearly half of Brits don’t feel comfortable asking their employer for pay rise

18-March-2019 - onrec.com

With almost a third claiming they wouldn’t feel comfortable negotiating pay with a new employer Posted in News archive on 18 Mar 2019 Company Profile CV-Library.co.uk View profile » A study conducted by  CV-Library , the UK’s leading independent job board, has discovered that nearly half (45.3%) of Brits don’t feel comfortable asking their  existing  employer for a pay rise. What’s more, almost a third (31.7%) claimed that they wouldn’t feel comfortable negotiating pay with a  new  employer.   The survey of 1,200 British professionals reveals that almost two-thirds (61.3%) of Brits haven’t received a pay rise in the last 12-18 months. Of those who did, four in ten (38.6%) received an increase of up to 2%. Below, CV-Library reveals the top ten sectors where Brits are least likely to negotiate on salary:   Social care (59.5%)   Hospitality (58.3%)   Catering (54.1%)   Retail (50.2%)   Manufacturing (48.8%)   Education (43.8%)   Automotive (42.9%)   Property (42.1%)   Engineering (38.5%)   Distribution (37.8%)   Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of  CV-Library , comments:  “While this may be music to cost-conscious employers’ ears, we can’t ignore the fact that pay is a huge influencing factor in people’s decisions to join a company and stay with them. With Brexit causing many Brits to defer any plans they might have had to change up their careers, employers need to consider how a competitive salary will help them to attract home-grown talent.  “Indeed, these top sectors where professionals are least likely to negotiate on pay with an employer are also some of those most likely to be affected by Brexit. For businesses to engage and retain the best candidates, they need to not only offe r  a  fair salary, but  also  put in  place annual pay reviews to ensure that wages rise in line with inflation and performance.”  Of the 49.6% of Brits who  have  negotiated on a job offer, the majority (79.5%) claimed to have negotiated on salary. Other popular aspects which Brits negotiated on included working hours (46.9%) and flexible working (29.1%).   Biggins concludes:  “Whilst salary is undeniably a big pull-factor, there’s increasing pressure on businesses to offer more than just this. Our survey gives a good indication of what candidates are after in the current job market. However, part of being a top employer is listening to employees and showing that you understand their needs. If you can nail this, then you’ll be on the right path to filling your job roles.”