Salaries in HR drop 2.4% despite soaring living costs

New research has revealed that advertised salaries for HR roles dropped 2.4% in 2021, as salaries stagnate across the UK.

An in-depth analysis of 6.6 million jobs posted on Reed.co.uk over the last three years shows that advertised salaries in the HR sector have dropped on average.

This is despite HR teams being faced with numerous business challenges over the course of the pandemic.

However, there are some regions that are bucking this trend, for example in the North West there’s been a salary growth of 4% for HR roles.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland, HR professionals are also seeing their salaries increase, by 3.8% and 3.6% respectively.

Areas such as the South West (9.2%) and North East (6.2%) have seen the biggest fall in wages.

The fall in salaries is in the face of soaring living costs as the consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation reaches 5.5%, the highest rate since March 1992.

Petrol, energy and food prices are also continuing to spike, meaning many HR professionals may find they have even less in their pockets.

Bukola Odofin, human resources recruitment expert at Reed, commented:

HR as a function has been key for businesses navigating the pandemic, they’ve been essential when it comes to implementing Covid policies and managing furloughed staff.

“They’ve also had to bring businesses into a much-altered world of work with new focus on employee wellbeing and hybrid working, alongside a difficult recruitment market.

“Like many areas of business, it’s a struggle to get talented HR teams with the right skills for the future, particularly for businesses looking to recruit in a competitive, candidate-driven market.

“Businesses looking to hire new HR professionals need to move quickly if they find the right person and consider their salary and benefits package – offering people what they really want – to stand out.”