Can you believe it? Half of bosses willing to give raises

MORE than half of bosses say they are willing to give their hard-pressed staff, most of whom have dealt with the problems of the pandemic without any remuneration, a pay hike.

However, only a quarter of employees believe them, a new survey shows.

Company leaders believe that there is a chance for their businesses to grow and make more money after the pandemic, and they firmly believe staff willing to upskill should be given a substantial raise.

Ger Fitzgerald, head of recruitment agency Morgan McKinley, which carried out the poll, said last year was a year of massive change for employers and staff, and it looks like 2021 will be no different.

‘From our survey results, we can see that employers are looking to adapt and stay competitive by hiring for new skills and to also retain their current employees by offering pay rises when appropriate,’ he said.

‘It looks like employees are a little more cautious of the potential of the hiring market and pay rises, when in fact it looks like there will be great opportunities for them through upskilling and applying for new roles – either internally or externally.’

Home-working enforced by the Covid pandemic has seen a large number of urban-based staff relocating home or to the country – which for some has become a permanent move.

Planned legislation promoting the rights of staff to request remote working, as well as the right to disconnect from work, has spurred the move by many.

At the same time, the pandemic has accelerated plans by the diaspora to return home to be close to family and friends, bringing with them their valuable international experience to the local market. The changes mean employers are ‘scrambling to adapt their policies on working location’.

Morgan McKinley expects salaries will remain flat this year on average, with some salary increases of up to 5% for in-demand and ‘emerging niche skill sets’ in information technology, data analytics, science, financial services and engineering.