Salaries are increasing across the board as certain sectors of the economy struggle to overcome a shortage of job candidates and employees become increasingly discerning about their employers and working conditions, according to Excel Recruitment's 2022 salary guide.

At least 38% of employees surveyed by the recruitment company for its employee-employer feedback survey are planning on changing jobs this year, with a further 36% saying they were uncertain while just a quarter (26%) said they would definitely stay in their current job.

Meanwhile, 56% of employers are planning to hire this year while at least 52% have signalled that they will give pay raises in 2022 and 65% have indicated raises are "in play" as they try to overcome "the great resignation", although income is not the sole priority of workers.

"Training & development opportunities, flexible working conditions, company culture and tangible benefits such as pension schemes, healthcare insurance and career progression are becoming just as important, along with, of course, agile working conditions," said Barry Whelan, founder and CEO of Excel Recruitment.

"There is no question that Covid has brought many challenges, but it has also widened the talent pool due to the flexibility around scheduling remote interviews and the increased ability to work from home. Employers say that attracting the right talent with the right skills will be the biggest challenge in 2022."

In Association with

Nearly two-thirds of respondents awarded pay increases last year, with 42% of those that gave raises doing so in recognition of employee performance, 24% for promotions, and 22% to counter offers made by another company.

Salary (42%) was the most common reason for employees to switch jobs last year ahead of increased flexibility (38%), career progression (12%) and better benefits (8%). The vast majority of employees (70%) favour hybrid work practices, with just 15% wanting to be in the office full-time.

The salary guide shows pay is only rising, with major increases seen in salaries for chefs and truck drivers amid supply chain issues, with the average going rate for an artic truck driver jumping from €30,00 to €40,000-50,000, and the average salary for a rigid driver rising from €30,000-32,000 to €36,000-40,000.

"The changes are most notable among the bigger chains and employers. There has also been an upward trend in more junior roles, where starting salaries, which would typically be around €23-25k, are now at €25-27K," said Excel director Shane McLave.

"There is no question that Covid has brought many challenges, but it has also widened the talent pool due to the flexibility around scheduling remote interviews and the increased ability to work from home.

"In this current climate, employers need to set their employer brand apart from the competition in the same way that they differentiate their products and services."

The employee-employer feedback survey was conducted on 230 employers and 600 employees over a three-month period at the end of last year.

(Pic: Getty Images)