BRITISH TECHIES ARE LESS OPTIMISIC ABOUT THEIR PAY

BRITISH TECHIES ARE LESS OPTIMISIC ABOUT THEIR PAY, COMPARED TO THEIR EUROPEAN COUNTERPARTS

–The IT Job Board’s European job market survey reveals country comparisons-

Revealing further findings from The IT Job Board’srecent Job Market Survey(1) it seems that far less British IT workers (50 percent) received a salary change in the last year, compared to Germany (27 percent), and the Netherlands (31 percent).

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

The Germans and Dutch are also more optimistic about receiving a pay rise in 2011, standing at 68 percent and 65 percent respectively. This compares with a figure of 55 percent highlighted by UK IT pros. And, when it came to looking at the results for those who expect the same 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 IT workers expecting a bonus, the Brits were more optimistic however – with 61 percent of the vote, compared to 53 percent for Germany and the Netherlands respectively.

It also seems that UK techies 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, compared to 22 percent for Germany and 17 percent for The Netherlands. But, Germany far outclassed the other two markets in terms of flexible working hours – with 59 percent of respondents, as opposed to 29 percent for The Netherlands and 27 percent for the UK.

Commenting on these findings, Alexandra Farrell, Managing Director of The IT Job Board, said: “Clearly UK IT pros are not quite as optimistic about their salary prospects, when compared to their European counterparts – and this is probably a result of the long and difficult recession this market has experienced.

“However, it’s positive to see that businesses are listening to and supporting their staff when it comes to aspects such as benefits and overtime pay.

“The results indicate that now would be a good time for businesses to reflect on issues such as flexible working practices. And, it is clear to see that – at this stage – UK techies are happy to prioritise benefits and perks over salary.”

[1]Candidate job market survey, March 2011 – 228 respondents (UK), 249 (Germany) and 260 (the Netherlands)