IT pays to work in WA. Or so it appears, with the annual Australian Institute of Management National Salary Survey indicating Western Australian employees were the only workers in the nation to receive an increase in remuneration in the past year.
The survey shows a growth of 6.22 per cent in total remuneration for workers in this State, and also revealed that WA’s 4.18 per cent was well ahead of the national base salary average increase of 1.5 per cent.
The statistics show that, while on a national basis senior and middle management salaries increased by 2.14 per cent and 1.72 per cent respectively, no increases were recorded in remuneration.
Australian Institute of Management WA executive director Patrick Cullen said the events of September 11 had affected bonus entitlements of these managers.
“Thirty six per cent of companies surveyed reported a reduction in sales revenue post September 11 and over 10 per cent reported loss of bonuses,” Mr Cullen said.
“Bonuses are most frequently available to people in this managerial job group.”
The survey also revealed that companies are taking proactive steps to ensure they are hiring and maintaining happy employees.
Human resource officers received a total increase of 11 per cent and training officers received a 17.8 per cent increase in total pay.
Companies also seem to be placing more emphasis on occupational and health and safety policies. Safety managers received a salary increase of 15.7 per cent.
“I think these numbers reflect employers’ determination to align employees’ knowledge and skills with the business goals of the organisation, and to manage risk better in a more demanding occupational health and safety legislative framework,” Mr Cullen said.
The way companies are giving pay rises also appears to be changing.
Companies offering a variable reward to waged staff increased to 39.4 per cent compared with 29 per cent last year.
The survey showed business confidence is returning, with 92 per cent of companies forecasting pay increases between 3.8 per cent and 4.6 per cent.
And will we see more waves of redundancy? Not nearly as much, according to the survey, with only 15.5 per cent of companies indicating that they will reduce staffing levels.
