The evolution of salaries in the business services industry follows the general market trend with a 4% increase for industry specialists, recorded in March 2024 compared to September 2023, tracking an identical sample of companies, according to the HR Barometer study conducted by ABSL (Association of Business Service Leaders) in collaboration with PwC Romania, quoted by Business-Review.eu.
Regionally, the capital leads in salary increases, with 4.7%, while Banat Transylvania recorded an increase of only 2.1%. The most significant categories of staff for which salaries have increased are executive managers (9.8%), team leaders (3.8%), specialists (3.9%), administrative staff (4.4%), and operators (1.9%).
The largest salary increases were made for employees working in services such as finance – accounting, HR, and support functions. The business services sector follows the general market trend of an estimated 8% increase in salary budgets for 2024, with one in three companies already implementing these measures in the first quarter.
“The salary dynamics are experiencing a slight decline compared to previous years, even in industries where competition for talent remains high. Amidst macro-economic uncertainty and with the expansion of automation across an increasing number of processes, there is a decrease in labor demand, as well as in individual mobility at the employee level. In the short term, we are witnessing a normalization of labor market relations, which had become extremely challenging for employers in recent years,” states Oana Munteanu, Director, People & Organisation, PwC.
The increased taxation of popular benefits in the industry—such as meal vouchers, holiday vouchers, or sports subscriptions—has had a negative impact on both company operations and HR policies. Four out of five employers now provide these benefits at their gross value, with the taxation being borne by employees. A small percentage of employers intend to fully or partially compensate for the loss suffered by employees for various benefits (4% in the case of holiday vouchers and 34% for meal vouchers). However, companies in the industry will continue to offer benefits such as sports memberships, medical services, and private pensions, even though the tax reductions are not at the same level as before. While parental benefits are beginning to interest employees, only 4% of companies in the industry provide additional days off for parent employees. Three out of four companies offer paid days off beyond the legal limit for fathers.
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