Human resources (HR) professionals’ pay is expected to rise an average of 5% in 2015, according to research by recruitment agency Robert Walters.
The 16th annual Robert Walters Global salary survey, which benchmarked the salaries of 2,850 HR professionals, also found that across the UK, salaries are rising fastest in the north, by an average of 7%. This is due to a spate of relocations of core and back office business functions, leading to rising competition for HR professionals.
The research also found:
- HR professionals who are head of department are expected to see a pay rise of 7% in 2015.
- Compensation and benefits managers are expected to see a 0.83% salary rise in 2015.
- Those with management information and analytics expertise are commanding a premium as employers look to make better use of HR data in informing decisions.
Vicky Salt, manager of human resources recruitment at Robert Walters, said: “The theme in 2015 is one of returning positivity and growing market confidence, with many employers turning from cost-reduction strategies towards attracting, engaging and retaining professional staff.
“We expect to see demand continue to rise across a variety of roles, from learning and development to compensation and change management, with heightened competition for candidates leading to rising salary levels and an increasing number of counter-offers.
“Hiring managers will need to move quickly to secure top talent this year, and should note that many HR specialists are increasingly confident of their worth in the market, leading to greater expectations around pay and benefits.”