2013 IRELAND SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

Transcription

1 2013 IRELAND SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

2 In general, employees showed a tendency towards non-monetary aspects when considering new roles. This emphasises that even though salaries will always remain an important consideration, employees are not just looking to money as their sole motivator SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

3 CONTENTS Introduction 4 Achieve more with less 6 Workplaces remain under stress 6 Rewarding high performance is a business priority 6 Employees are looking for well-rounded packages 8 Achieving a benefit balance 8 About Hudson Ireland 10 Salary tables Accounting & Finance 12 Banking & Financial Services 16 Energy, Infrastructure & Technical 20 Human Resources 24 IT & Telecommunications 28 Sales & Marketing 32 Supply Chain & Procurement 36 Our offices SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 3

4 INTRODUCTION Welcome to Hudson Ireland s Salary & Employment Insights As your trusted advisor, we take pride in our comprehensive understanding of the recruitment business and factors affecting it, including the expectations of organisations and their people. The challenging market conditions faced by Irish businesses in recent years show little signs of easing and organisations are being encouraged to adjust. Over the next 12 months, businesses should equip themselves with the people they need to move through the next phase of their economic cycles. Never before has it been more vital and beneficial for companies and job seekers to align their expectations. EMPLOYERS VIEW: WHEN THINKING ABOUT THE LAST FEW ROLES THAT HAVEN T BEEN REPLACED IN YOUR TEAM, PREDOMINANTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO THE WORK? 66% REDISTRIBUTED TO TEAM To ensure Hudson Ireland have a complete understanding of how organisations feel about the upcoming year, we surveyed employers and employees to ascertain what impact the challenging economic environment is having on business. We looked at its effect on work practices, compensation and benefits and, more importantly, employee engagement, morale and job seeking behaviour. The survey revealed that workplaces are under stress and employees are expected to shoulder more responsibility. When employers were asked what happens when a member of staff leaves, 66% of those surveyed admitted that the work is redistributed amongst the remaining team members. This is reinforced by the findings from the employees surveyed which revealed that many felt that they deserved a pay-rise as they were taking on greater responsibility and found themselves covering for reduced staffing levels. 66% 22% 17% REDISTRIBUTED TO TEAM MEMBERS OTHER / NOT APPLICABLE ABSORBED BY MANAGER 6% 6% CONTINUED BY CONTRACTOR OUTSOURCED 5% DISCONTINUED 11% REDISTRIBUTED TO ONE PERSON SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

5 INTRODUCTION With such a large proprotion of employees surveyed categorising themselves as passively or actively seeking a new role, organisations are encouraged to look at creative benefit packages to attract and retain the best talent. The survey highlighted a level of disparity between the benefits employees are seeking and what is being offered by the market. Organisations who employ a level of flexibility with regards to benefit offerings could find themselves at an advantage in In spite of the current economic challenges, employers are forecasting encouraging developments over the coming 12 months. A reassuring 59% of employers said they are planning to increase salaries within 2013 with 57% also saying they plan to award bonuses SALARY SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS WHAT WAS THE GENDER SPLIT OF THE EMPLOYERS WHO TOOK PART IN OUR SURVEY? 42% FEMALE MALE 58% 26% 24% & LESS % 25% APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY STAFF ARE EMPLOYED BY YOUR ORGANISATION? 25% 25% 24% 26% Read on to see the full results of our Salary & Employment Insights survey, as well as proposed salaries and recruitment trends for Methodology The salary survey was conducted over a four week period in January 2013, in which Hudson surveyed employers and employees online. In-house recruitment specialists and managing directors were surveyed for the purpose of gaining sector specific employment overviews. Current salary information was derived from Hudson s internal database and quality checked against survey data. WHAT WAS THE GENDER SPLIT OF THE EMPLOYEES WHO TOOK PART IN OUR SURVEY? 37% FEMALE MALE 63% 41% 5% 1% 17% 36% WHAT IS THE HIERARCHICAL SPLIT OF EMPLOYEE RESPONDENTS? 17% 36% 41% EXECUTIVE / SENIOR MANAGEMENT MIDDLE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST / NON-MANAGERIAL 5% ADMIN / SUPPORT STAFF 1% OTHER 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 5

6 ACHIEVE MORE WITH LESS IS THIS THE COMMERCIAL REALITY FOR 2013? While the economic outlook remains challenging, forecasted figures highlight a continuation of the gradual recovery in the overall level of economic activity. The Central Bank of Ireland is expecting GDP growth to rise to 1.3% in 2013 on the back of a 0.7% rise in Whilst the general outlook for the economy is a cautious one, the situation with regards to business growth is relatively more positive. The Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC) is predicting a 1.8% growth in 2013, currently sitting ahead of the government figures. IBEC also saw unemployment rates stabilising and predicted that 2012 would be the last year of falling employment, with a return to marginal growth of 0.4% in This is being helped by a strongly performing export sector and businesses that have successfully made the transition from the domestic market to an international one. Despite some encouraging predictions domestically, the Eurozone outlook still remains troubled, so it is not surprising that economic uncertainty is causing many businesses to start making contingency plans. Many businesses are looking to reduce their cost base, as well as increasing flexibility and efficiency, particularly in the public sector, as these will be important factors in helping to promote growth. Workplaces remain under stress The demanding economic environment looks set to have a continued effect on workplaces with nearly three quarters of employers (72%) believing their businesses will face tougher market conditions in When asked how the challenging market conditions have impacted their function, 29% reported redundancies while, 66% reported greater pressures on budgets, 58% observed increases in employee workload and half of those surveyed (50%) faced more stringent headcount approvals. Continued pressure on budgets has meant that just over one in five employers (21%) can guarantee a role will be replaced if a member of their team leaves. In cases where the roles are not replaced, 66% of employers distribute the work amongst the remaining team members, with only 12% choosing to either outsource or employ a contractor and 17% of managers absorbing the extra workload themselves. When looking at recruitment levels and anticipated movement within the market, a large proportion of employees surveyed are actively (27%) or passively (41%) seeking new roles and not only this, but an astounding 57% anticipate changing jobs within the next six months. Rewarding high performance is a business priority While employees are expected to shoulder more responsibility, greater workloads and are working longer hours, it is optimistic to see that the majority of employers appear to be acknowledging this by awarding pay rises. Just over half of employers (54%) awarded pay rises within the last 12 months, with the majority of those surveyed (59%), confirming that they also plan to award salary increases in The amount these salaries are set to go up by however, is likely to be quite modest, with 56% expecting this increase to sit within the range of 1-5%. Employees however, are slightly more cautious about the prospect of recieving a salary increase as, compared to 56% of employers planning an increase of up to 5%, only 38% of employees are expecting the same. Surprisingly, almost as many employees expect their salary to remain unchanged (36%) as to receive an increase, with 29% of businesses not planning to increase salaries at all throughout HOW ARE CHALLENGING MARKET CONDITIONS IMPACTING BUSINESSES? The recent legislation changes in employment law are also giving many employers more to think about. Larger awards for redundancies, another month of statutory parental leave and the introduction of the Real Time Information (RTI) scheme are all factors that effect the employment picture. The future of the Irish economy remains unclear and businesses must remain agile to succeed. Companies may need to review their strategy to adapt to a slow growth environment and respond to global economic conditions. GREATER PRESSURE ON BUDGETS INCREASED EMPLOYEE WORKLOAD STRINGENT HEADCOUNT APPROVAL REDUNDANCIES 66% 58% 50% 29% SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

7 Interestingly, one quarter of employees believe an increase in salary is warranted in 2013 because their skills and experience are in high demand outside the organisation. The main reason organisations increased salaries was in a bid to ultimately retain high performers, an objective shared by 56% of employers surveyed. On a similar thread, a third admitted their main reason for allocating salary increases was to reward those most lucrative to the business. Employers also acknowledged that some individuals were not adequately rewarded for what they contributed to the business (27%) with many taking on new or greater responsibilities. Just over a quarter of employers confirmed they would be increasing their employees wages as a result. Despite the tough environment 57% of employers plan to award bonuses in the next 12 months with approximately three quarters indicating bonuses would be awarded based on either company (76%) or individual performance (73%). A further 26% indicated they were yet to decide whether they would award bonuses, which correlates with the uncertainty in the market. WHAT ARE EMPLOYERS MAIN REASONS FOR GIVING A PAY RISE? TO RETAIN HIGH PERFORMING STAFF TO REWARD HIGH LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE 33% TO REWARD CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUSINESS 56% 27% STAFF ARE TAKING ON NEW / GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES 26% SALARIES FOR SIMILAR ROLES HAVE INCREASED 22% STAFF OVERDUE A RISE / LONG TIME SINCE LAST INCREASE 20% MAINTAIN EMPLOYEE LIVING STANDARDS 19% THE ORGANISATION IS MORE PROFITABLE THAN LAST YEAR 14% 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 7

8 ACHIEVE MORE WITH LESS IS THIS THE COMMERCIAL REALITY FOR 2013? Employees are looking for well-rounded packages Employees are still very much aware of the on-going economic uncertainty which exists within today s market. That said however, results show that many individuals now value non-monetary aspects such as organisational culture as opposed to large salary or bonus packages when considering new roles. TOP 10 REASONS EMPLOYEES ARE ATTRACTED TO JOB OPPORTUNITIES RESPECTED LEADERSHIP 53% Achieving a benefit balance With budget squeezes becoming an all too common commercial reality, businesses are showing a commitment to offering a range of benefits as part of the package. With this in mind, it is now more important than ever, to get this balance right, particularly as there is some disparity between what is offered and what is attractive to employees. When asked to rank certain factors in order of importance when considering a new job, the majority of employees (53%) listed Strong leaders / manager I respect as being the most important element in their decision making process. The second highest, chosen by just over half of those surveyed, was having an organisation with a work culture that will make me happy. Remarkably, having more pay than I currently have was ranked fifth in terms of its level of importance, with 42% deeming this to be extremely important when choosing a new role. This monetary aspect was narrowly beaten by better career opportunities than I currently have (48%) and a role that I am more interested in (46%) both proving to be more of a preference when looking to change jobs. GOOD WORKING CULTURAL FIT BETTER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES MORE INTERESTING ROLE GREATER PAY SHARED VALUES GREATER SENIORITY/RESPONSIBILITY 52% 48% 46% 42% 39% 34% Employers would be advised to look to adopt a range of non-monetary benefits to attract and retain talent. Only 49% of employers offer flexible working opportunities, whereas 60% of employees rated this in their top four most attractive benefits. After base annual salary, the top four benefits offered by employers are contributory pension plan (75%), monetary bonus (72%), death / disability insurance (58%) and private health insurance at just over half (51%). When we asked employees to nominate which benefits were most attractive to them, 80% placed bonus in their top four followed by private health insurance falling just short of this at 79%, flexible working opportunities (60%) and increased annual leave (48%). Those least preferred included gym memberships and paid maternity / paternity leave. In general, employees showed a tendency towards non-monetary aspects when considering new roles. This emphasises that even though salaries will always remain an important consideration, employees are not just looking to money as their sole motivator. Simple things like adopting the right management style and promoting a positive organisational culture really do go a long way in both keeping your workforce driven and attracting new talent into the business. BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS MORE EDUCATION & TRAINING DIFFERENT SECTOR / INDUSTRY 22% 20% 5% SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

9 TOP 4 MOST VALUED BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES BONUS PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS INCREASED ANNUAL LEAVE 80% BONUS 60% 79% PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE 48% TOP 4 MOST OFFERED BENEFITS FROM EMPLOYERS CONTRIBUTORY PENSION PLAN BONUS DEATH/DISABILITY INSURANCE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE 75% CONTRIBUTORY PENSION PLAN 58% 72% BONUS 51% Summary The general outlook for 2013 is one of cautious optimism. Businesses are reporting expected growth but the commercial reality could be that employees will shoulder even greater responsibilities, as businesses strive to achieve this under the pressure of already tight budgets. Many employees are taking on more responsibility and working longer hours, resulting in increased workplace stress and pessimism which could explain the large number of employees looking to move on in Employees feel they are not being adequately rewarded for increased workload and responsibilities, and want greater rewards. With pressure on remuneration budgets, businesses should increase their focus on non-monetary benefits as a way of retaining and incentivising staff. Stable jobs with flexible benefits are a key priority for employees rather than ever-increasing salaries. Results indicate that non-monetary benefits alone are enough to sway job seekers decisions. Employers who focus their attention on a combination of base salaries and tailored benefit packages are likely to be more attractive to prospective employees. FLEXIBLE WORKING ARRANGEMENTS INCREASED ANNUAL LEAVE DEATH / DISABILITY INSURANCE PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 9

10 ABOUT HUDSON IRELAND Hudson is a global talent solutions company with expertise in leadership and specialised recruitment, contracting solutions, recruitment process outsourcing, talent management, outplacement and ediscovery. We help our clients and candidates succeed by leveraging our expertise, deep industry and market knowledge, and proprietary assessment tools and techniques. With approximately 2,000 people in 20 countries, and relationships with millions of specialised professionals, we bring an unparalleled ability to match talent with opportunities by assessing, recruiting, developing and engaging the best and brightest people for our clients. We combine broad geographic presence, world-class talent solutions and a tailored, consultative approach to help businesses and professionals achieve higher performance and outstanding results. Based in Dublin, Hudson Ireland has been in operation since 1996, and employs specialist consultants who work with SME and multinational companies, across all sectors in Ireland. The areas which Hudson Ireland specialise in are: ``Accounting and Finance ``Banking and Financial Services ``Energy, Infrastructure and Technical `` HR `` IT and Telecommunications ``Marketing and Communications 2% 2% 7% WHAT WAS THE CURRENT WORK STATUS OF EMPLOYEES SURVEYED? 14% 75% `` Sales ``Supply Chain and Procurement 75% FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT 2% OTHER / NOT APPLICABLE 14% CONTRACT / TEMPORARY 2% PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT 7% NOT CURRENTLY EMPLOYED SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

11 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 11

12 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

13 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Generally speaking, 2012 continued to be a strong and optimistic year for Ireland s accounting and finance sector. As predicted, we witnessed further demand across mid to senior accounting and finance professionals, particularly within the FMCG, Telecoms and IT sectors. When it came to shared service centres, they tended to concentrate their efforts on appointing specialist skillsets including revenue analysts, OPEX experts, financial analysts and treasury accountants. These particular positions require expert experience along with a professional accountancy qualification and a strong systems background. What has become even more apparent is the level of competiveness within the market. Employers are not prepared to make allowances and settle for just any experienced candidate. Often they are willing to hold out in order to find the perfect match for their business, who exceeds all their requirements and job specifications. An uplift in confidence was illustrated by the number of organisations now hiring financial professionals on a permanent basis, as well as a slight decrease in the number of fixed term contracts now being brought to market. Employers have also started hiring more part-qualified and finalist accountants, where previously the likelihood is these positions would have been divided between the team. From an employee perspective, it is clear many are now seeing the market in a much more positive light. There is evidence of definite movement within the industry, with many individuals seeking new challenges, an increase in base salary and the opportunity of further career progression. The outlook for 2013 remains bright. We not only expect to see an increase in demand for mid to senior level professionals, but also that of newly qualified accountants trained in the Big 4 firms. In addition to this, there is continued demand for qualified accountants with two to three years post qualified experience gained in a multinational or shared services environment. Finance managers and financial controllers with specialised sector experience will also continue to be highly sought after by employers. Although the senior end of the market has been slower to recover, we do expect an uplift in movement to occur in the latter part of the year. With regards to salaries, they are still in no way comparable to those seen in the boom years however, we have now started to witness employers being much more open to rewarding those individuals who prove lucrative to their business. 27% MORE THAN A QUARTER OF ALL EMPLOYEES SURVEYED HAVE OVER 21 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THEIR PROFESSION 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 13

14 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Qualified Chief Financial Officer 120, , , Finance Director 90, , , Financial Controller 75,000 85,000 95, Financial Planning & Analysis Manager 85,000 90,000 95, Finance Manager 65,000 75,000 85, Financial Analyst 55,000 60,000 65, Commercial Analyst 52,000 55,000 65, Project Accountant 55,000 60,000 65, Systems Accountant 54,000 60,000 65, Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Part-Qualified Finalist Accountant 35,000 38,000 40, Assistant Accountant 28,000 32,000 35, Trainee Accountant 25,000 28,000 30, Tax Head of Tax 90, , , Tax Manager 70,000 75,000 85, Tax Analyst 45,000 48,000 50, Tax Accountant 50,000 55,000 60, VAT Accountant 45,000 50,000 55, Financial Accountant 48,000 52,000 57, Management Accountant 50,000 55,000 65, Cost Accountant 55,000 58,000 62, General Ledger Accountant 42,000 45,000 55, Newly Qualified Accountant 42,000 45,000 47, Head of Internal Audit 100, , , Internal Audit Manager 65,000 75,000 85, Internal Auditor 45,000 55,000 65, HOW MUCH CAN I EARN AS A PERMANENT FINANCIAL ANALYST? LOWER 55k MID 60k HIGHER 65k SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

15 ACCOUNTING & FINANCE Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Treasury Head of Treasury 90, , , Treasury Manager 70,000 75,000 85, Treasury Accountant 50,000 55,000 60, Credit EMEA Senior Credit Manager 80,000 90, , Credit Control Manager 45,000 55,000 60, Credit Control Team Leader 35,000 40,000 42, Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Finance Support Roles Payroll Manager 50,000 55,000 65, EMEA Payroll Analyst 40,000 45,000 50, Accounts Supervisor 35,000 38,000 42, Intercompany Analyst 32,000 35,000 38, Accounts Payable Administrator 26,000 30,000 34, Accounts Receivable Administrator 26,000 30,000 34, Accounts Administrator 28,000 30,000 32, Senior Credit Controller 32,000 35,000 38, Collections Analyst 26,000 28,000 32, HOW MUCH CAN I EARN AS A PERMANENT TREASURY ACCOUNTANT? Lower Mid Higher 50k 55k 60k 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 15

16 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

17 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES The banking and financial services sector has shown signs of recovery over the last twelve months with Hudson having recorded an increased number of permanent positions available in This trend, we expect to continue throughout 2013 and beyond. These opportunities have arisen at the mid to senior end of the market, particularly within the areas of fund administration and retail banking. This air of renewed confidence in the market is one of the reasons the banking and financial services sector is recruiting even more permanent employees over fixed term contractors. Fund administration had a relatively buoyant year in 2012, with financial services clients hiring a multitude of roles from graduate level to senior management and vice president positions. Acquisitions of fund portfolios within hedge and private equity has also resulted in more opportunities arising within back office fund administration (operational and project based). This has resulted in employers crying out for a number of specific skill sets within fund accounting, transfer agency, custody and compliance. Over the next year, we expect fund administration organisations to continue recruiting, seeking professionals with strong academic backgrounds, proven experience in the sector and preferably, candidates with an ACCA qualification. Salaries within fund administration have remained relatively competitive. More and more employees are starting to receive bonuses, although these are usually discretionary and are dependant on the level of seniority. From an employee perspective, the drive to move company is not based primarily on remuneration, instead candidates are looking for a role which offers a clear path to career progression. Overall, 2013 is set to be a strong year, with financial services clients already confirming plans to take on more staff for the year ahead. Despite a number of redundancies with domestic banks, the banking market has begun to stabalise and ramp up staff levels within certain key areas. Retail banking has seen an increase in demand for recovery and restructuring managers, mortgage specialists, credit and collections professionals - with many keen to appoint candidates holding the full QFA qualification, or at the very least, their APA loans. We expect to see continued growth within Arrears Support Units at all levels of seniority, so there is certainly promising times ahead for employees looking for roles with the main pillar banks, and also third party outsource providers over the next 18 months. 46% OF ALL EMPLOYEES SURVEYED BELIEVE THEIR HIGH LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE WARRANTS A PAY INCREASE 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 17

18 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Fund Administration Head of Fund Accounting 100, , , Fund Accounting Manager 60,000 65,000 70, Fund Accounting Supervisor 40,000 45,000 50, Senior Fund Accountant 34,000 36,000 40, Fund Accountant 28,000 30,000 32, Head of Transfer Agency 90, , , Transfer Agency Manager 50,000 55,000 62, Transfer Agency Supervisor 38,000 42,000 45, Senior Transfer Agency Administrator 34,000 36,000 38, Transfer Agency Administrator 28,000 30,000 33, Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Banking Head of Treasury 90, , , Senior Equity Analyst 65,000 80,000 95, Equity Research Analyst 40,000 55,000 65, Senior Dealer 70,000 80,000 90, Dealer 45,000 55,000 65, Trader 45,000 70,000 90, Quantitative Analyst 40,000 50,000 60, Private Clients Portfolio Manager 80, , , Corporate Finance Director 100, , , Corporate Finance Executive 45,000 50,000 65, Settlements Administrator 28,000 30,000 32, Share Registration Administrator 27,000 30,000 32, Head of Custody 90, , , Custody Manager 50,000 60,000 70, Custody Team Leader 35,000 40,000 42, Custody Administrator 28,000 30,000 34, Head of Trustee 100, , , Trustee Manager 50,000 55,000 65, Trustee Officer 30,000 35,000 44, HOW MUCH CAN I EARN AS A PERMANENT EQUITY RESEARCH ANALYST? LOWER 40k MID 55k HIGHER 65k SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

19 BANKING & FINANCIAL SERVICES Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Credit, Risk & Compliance Head of Compliance 90, , , Compliance Manager 65,000 75,000 85, Compliance Officer 35,000 45,000 55, AML Officer 35,000 40,000 48, Risk Manager 65,000 75,000 85, Risk Analyst 40,000 45,000 55, Senior Credit Analyst 50,000 60,000 70, Credit Analyst 40,000 45,000 50, Finance Support Roles Claims Manager 40,000 55,000 65, Claims Administrator 25,000 30,000 35, Insurance Administrator 25,000 28,000 30, Role Lower Mid Higher Rate Per Hour Mortgages Head of Mortgages 90,000 95, , Head of Operations 100, , , Head of Lending 90, , , Restructuring Manager 60,000 75,000 90, Case Manager 35,000 40,000 50, Mortgage Arrears Portfolio Manager 55,000 60,000 65, Mortgage Underwriter 35,000 40,000 50, Mortgage Administrator 28,000 30,000 32, Head of Credit 90, , , Collections Manager 55,000 60,000 65, Collections Team Leader 40,000 45,000 50, Collections Administrator 30,000 32,000 35, Commercial Underwriting Manager 50,000 55,000 60, Underwriter 35,000 45,000 50, Life Assurance Administrator 25,000 28,000 34, Pensions Manager 45,000 60,000 75, Pensions Administrator 28,000 35,000 40, HOW MUCH CAN I EARN AS A PERMANENT RISK ANALYST? Lower Mid 40k 45k Higher 55k 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 19

20 ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE & TECHNICAL SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS

21 ENERGY, INFRASTRUCTURE & TECHNICAL 2012 saw improvement in the energy, infrastructure and technical areas, leading to an increased supply of roles. The growth areas for Ireland remain in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors as these companies continued to manufacture during the recession. However, recruitment in 2012 was mainly restricted to the hiring of replacement staff with only small numbers of new positions being brought to market. Although more optimistic, 2012 continued to be an uncertain time across the energy, infrastructure and technical landscape, with IDA (Industrial Development Agency) supported companies exhibiting some levels of growth as opposed to Ireland s SME s. The infrastructure and construction opportunities were limited and candidates often moved overseas to remain within the industry. Whilst there was much spin about jobs in clean energy, in reality, few actually materialised. The public sector, the biggest employer in this industry, tended to replace those who left the business, with fixed term contractors or moved people internally. In the private sector, roles such as environment impact assessment specialists, project managers and design engineers were filled, however many more could have been made available if the Irish planning permission laws were not so restrictive. That said however, 2012 did show positive signs with a steady flow of roles within the pharmaceutical, medical device, food and general manufacturing industries, particularly within the multinationals in Galway, Cork, Limerick and Kildare. The IDA supported multinationals who were availing of the favourable corporation tax, VAT laws and skill base within Ireland. Overall, employee remuneration is still a long way from the golden days of the Celtic tiger. Movement was slow with cautious candidates only willing to move for that long awaited promotion, more money or a better location. It also became apparent that, for certain roles, there were fewer skilled candidates available, as many of those previously made redundant, had already been hired. Companies continued to drive down salaries in line with budgetary constraints and as a result, negotiations were more difficult, and decision making was often slow. Where companies were waiting for the perfect candidate, the knock on effect was those interviewed lost enthusiasm for a role. We also witnessed a rise in buy-back scenarios. Finally, many companies sought fixed term contractors rather than permanent staff to keep headcount down and even to try people out. Predictions for 2013 remain mixed with the European Commission forecasting an expected growth in GDP at a modest 0.1%, hopefully resulting in a steady increase in jobs throughout the year. Unfortunately, any chance of growth within the energy sector is likely to depend on planning restrictions being lifted and unfortunately we expect all things construction based to remain slow. On a positive note, we anticipate the bulk of this growth to emerge within the medical device and pharmaceutical space, as was the case throughout Further to this, we predict Ireland s food and food manufacturing sector to remain extremely buoyant over the next 12 months, so definitely a lot of scope for opportunities to be brought to market. 56% OF EMPLOYERS CONFIRMED THEIR MAIN REASON FOR GIVING A PAY RISE IS TO RETAIN HIGH PERFORMING STAFF 2013 SALARY & EMPLOYMENT INSIGHTS 21