Ready for your next career move? While you might be keen to update your CV and start applying, it's important to recognise that the process involves more than just ensuring your skills and experience match the job responsibilities. In today's job hunt, it's important to find an employer who shares your values and priorities before making a commitment. Knowing the competitive salary for your skills and experience is key to starting off on the right foot.
Exploring 2024 salary benchmarks
Understanding salary trends is crucial for jobseekers aiming to secure competitive compensation packages. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as role, experience, and location. Salary reports provide indispensable data to assist jobseekers in accurately benchmarking their salary expectations and negotiating effectively during job offers. These reports are compiled by recruitment specialists who deeply understand their industries, roles, and associated salaries. Based on findings from the 2024 eCommerce Salary Report from Cranberry Panda, average salaries show a promising upward trend. The industry saw a 3.2% average increase from 2022 to 2023, followed by an even more significant 5.9% rise from 2023 to 2024. This is an encouraging trend for candidates looking to advance in their careers, as well as for those hoping for pay rises or promotions in the near future. To support this, of the surveyed individuals, 61% reported receiving a pay rise within the past 12 months. This means that 38% indicated that their salaries remained unchanged, while a mere 1% experienced a reduction in pay.
Navigating challenges for working parents
Balancing work and family responsibilities poses challenges for working parents, and many employers are unreasonably inflexible when it comes to parental responsibilities. While some parents choose to stay home with their young children, others opt to return to work to pursue their careers and strike a balance between parenting and personal career aspirations. According to the 2024 Digital Salary Report, nearly half (45%) of the workforce comprises working parents, highlighting the need for employers to enhance their support for this demographic.
What are employers doing well? Although some companies need to improve their support for working parents, others are making commendable efforts. For instance, 63% of employers provide remote working options, enabling parents to manage their responsibilities at home. Additionally, 38% of employers offer flexibility around school pickups and drop-offs, allowing parents to start later or leave earlier. Flexibility in working hours is increasingly common, benefiting both parents and professionals without children.
Areas for improvement
Despite these positive steps, there are areas where employers need to do better. Only 12% of professionals reported that their employers offer extended maternity or paternity leave beyond the statutory requirements in the UK. Furthermore, only 1% of employers provide on-site childcare facilities, indicating a significant gap in support for working parents. This gap may be due to financial and space constraints, as well as regulatory challenges in the UK. Many digital businesses also rely on remote work, reducing the need for on-site childcare. In contrast, US companies often offer these facilities thanks to larger corporate campuses, and tax incentives. The competitive US job market also pushes companies to support working parents more extensively. To better support working parents, UK employers should consider adopting some of these best practices, making their workplaces more family-friendly and attractive to top talent. Building on this, 16% of professionals reported that their employers provide no support for working parents, adding stress for those balancing parenting and work responsibilities.
The importance of employee mental health and wellbeing Your mental health at work can be impacted by various factors, some of which might not be obvious at first glance.
The positive effect of remote working According to the 2024 Immersive & Gaming Salary Report, 60% of respondents stated that they work best remotely. Remote work is the preferred option for many professionals, potentially providing a better work-life balance and reducing stress associated with commuting and office environments.
Working remotely isn't just convenient; it's also an inclusive and increasingly adopted method of work for different groups of people, including individuals with disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, caregivers, and those managing anxiety. Remote work has become a necessity rather than a benefit for many.
Heavy workloads
In terms of workload, respondents rated their workload at an average of 6.4 out of 10. This shows that many employees are dealing with substantial demands in their jobs, which can lead to stress and burnout if not handled well.
Stress at work
Speaking of stress, respondents highlighted the significant impact of workload on mental health, citing increased stress and anxiety (44%), challenges with work-life balance (35%), and feelings of ineffectiveness (27%) as the most notable factors.
Who can employees turn to?
Encouragingly, 69% of respondents stated that there is an open-door policy in place to address these concerns. This indicates that many companies are taking steps to create a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their challenges and seeking help.
Surprisingly, most respondents (34%) prefer seeking support from their direct manager rather than their colleagues (17%), indicating that they prefer to keep their work and personal life separate, avoiding getting too close to them team. This preference highlights the value employees place on the personal relationship and support from their immediate supervisor. However, it's interesting that only a small percentage (6%) of respondents seek assistance from senior management, suggesting a potential communication or trust gap at higher organisational levels.
Unfortunately, the data also reveals that 14% of respondents would not confide in anyone at work about their concerns. This suggests that there is still work to be done in creating a culture of openness and approachability within workplaces.
Navigate the job market wisely
For employees navigating the job market, it's essential to consider not only the salary and benefits offered by potential employers but also their approach to mental health and well-being. Look for companies that prioritise things that matter to you like employee support programs, offer flexibility in work arrangements, and that foster a culture of open communication and support.
When job hunting, remember to look beyond just the pay check. Find a company that cares about your well-being as much as you do. Seek out those who prioritise mental health support, flexible work arrangements, and a culture of openness. After all, finding a job that values your mental health can make all the difference in your happiness and success.
Words by Madeline Paddock
