Cyber Magazine January 2023 | Page 64

OPERATIONS

Regular wage growth in the professional and scientific industry has sat above inflation since November 2018 . It remained so during the coronavirus pandemic and has kept pace with prices as they have risen over the last year .

Since May to July 2022 , the professional and scientific industry has been the only one where regular wage growth ( excluding bonuses ) has remained higher than inflation , sitting at

10.1 % in July to September 2022 . This means average wages in the industry in this period were 10.1 % higher than the same period the previous year .

Wage growth in other industries – such as property , information and communication , retail , and finance – also sat largely above inflation in recent years . However , between January to March 2022 and April to June 2022 , rising inflation outpaced regular wage growth in all of these industries .

Refining the way we work Organisations are also being forced to examine their ways of working , with 75 % of our clients allowing flexible work arrangements . The pull of such positions with these companies is so strong that we generally fill them within a week or 10 days . However , for the 25 % that are insisting that staff be in an office , that timeframe goes up to two months . Candidates are demanding more flexible options and even graduates – who could benefit from the interaction that comes from an office environment early in their careers – are opting to work from home .

Change is upon us , but one area where this is unarguably positive is in gender diversity acrossthe sector . I , along with other Hamilton Barnes colleagues , regularly attend schools and universities to raise awareness of the career opportunities that are available to young people . Five years ago , in a lecture theatre filled with 100 STEM students , there ’ d be one girl . Now it ’ s more like 20 .

64 January 2023