British tech staff less optimistic on pay issues

Revealing further findings from The IT Job Board’s recent Survey of the IT Jobs market it seems that far less British IT workers (50 percent) received a salary change during the past year, compared to Germany (27 percent), and also the Netherlands (31 percent).

When reviewing the numbers of techies which had received a pay rise of as much as 10 per cent, this stood at 54 percent for Germany, 54 percent within the Netherlands, with – again – the UK lagging behind at 44 percent.

The Germans and Dutch are more optimistic about receiving a pay rise in 2011, standing at 68 percent and 65 percent. This compares with a figure of 55 percent highlighted by UK IT pros.

And, when it came down to looking at the results for those who expect an identical salary this year as last, this stood at 19 percent for Germany, 24 percent for the Netherlands and 36 percent for the UK.

When reviewing the proportion of workers in IT careers who expected an added bonus, the Brits were more optimistic however – with 61 percent of the whole vote, in contrast to 53 percent for Germany.

Additionally it seems that UK technical staff do marginally better when it comes to overtime – with 28 percent highlighting they are paid for this, compared to 25 percent for Germany and 20 percent for the Netherlands.

When it comes to pension contributions, the UK is the place to work – 40 percent of British IT workers claimed this, when compared to 22 percent for Germany and 17 percent for The Netherlands. But, Germany far outclassed the other two markets in regards to flexible working hours – with 59 percent of respondents, instead of 29 percent for The Netherlands and 27 percent of the UK.

Commenting on the findings, Alexandra Farrell, MD of The IT Job Board, said: “Clearly pros with IT jobs in th UK are not quite as optimistic about their salary prospects, when compared to their European counterparts – but this is perhaps a result of the long and difficult recession this market has experienced."

“However, it’s positive to see that companies are listening to and supporting their staff with regards to aspects such as benefits and overtime pay."

“But, I believe the UK ought to be working towards Germany’s model when it comes to flexible working practices, and the Modern Workplaces Consultation goes some way towards this. It’s clear to discover that – at this time – UK staff are happy to prioritise benefits and perks over salary.”

Candidate job market survey, March 2011 – 228 respondents (UK), 249 (Germany) and 260 (The Netherlands)

FACTFILE:
The IT Job Board group of companies was set up in April 2002 in recognition that recruitment in the IT sector was increasingly dominated by the internet.

www.theitjobboard.co.uk

Online technology enables sophisticated targeting – for example by skill, region or experience – of The IT Job Board’s database of 900,000 IT professionals. The company always tries to get closer to candidates either via planned content campaigns, or through the use of social networks.

The site also offers employers services such as branded job postings, a featured employer zone, targeted email campaigns and guidance on advertising copy. The managed campaign service filters responses to provide companies with a shortlist of applicants most suitable for the advertised position.