News story

Pay mostly static, contracting rates down says survey

Stoke Prior, United KingdomLearning NewsBlue Eskimo

Blue Eskimo’s annual survey of work and pay shows that most people’s pay remained static in 2013 – but many contractors saw their income shrink.

Blue Eskimo salary and work survey
Blue Eskimo salary and work survey 

Blue Eskimo’s annual survey – now in its sixth year – provides the most comprehensive information on work, pay, benefits and much more in the learning sector.

This year’s survey shows that for most people (around 56%) pay remained static – although around 30% of people did get a pay rise in line with inflation. Only around 13% of people managed to secure a rise above the rate of inflation. With times remaining tough in 2013, this really isn’t a surprise, says Blue Eskimo director Nick Bate. “For most, pay hasn’t seen any significant leaps for over half a decade,” says Bate.

Contractors have seen their pay eroded, according to the survey. The majority of those who responded (over 74%) earn £400 a day or less, with just over half (around 53%) earning £300 per day or less. The percentage of those earning between £201 and £300 per day increased from around 36% in 2012 to around 42.5% in 2013.

“Top-end rates have been eroded somewhat,” says Bate. “In 2009, over 10% of people earned more than £800 per day. Last year that dropped to just 3.7% of people.”

But Bate believes that this isn’t a “rush to the bottom” since the number of contractors in the lowest band (under £200 per day) has decreased from 22.5% in 2009 to around 11% this year. “Contracting rates are settling in the middle bands,” says Bate.

Almost half of people feel that their pay is lower than average, according to the survey, with the same amount feeling that their pay is “about right”. Around 63% of people are looking to change jobs in 2014, with almost 25% of people citing “more money” as their key reason for leaving.

“As the economy picks up,” says Bate, “companies will need to up their game in terms of pay and benefits or risk losing top talent to those who are willing to pay more.”

The full, detailed results of the survey can be downloaded free of charge, from Blue Eskimo’s website.

Printed copies of the key findings of the survey will be distributed free, at Learning Technologies exhibition and conference on 29–30 January, at Olympia 2 in London. Anyone wishing to discuss the survey can meet with the team from Blue Eskimo on stand 17.