With the general cost of practically everything being so high at the moment, it is no surprise that over half of UK workers (52%) are unhappy with the amount they are being paid.
According to a recent survey from jobs search engine Adzuna, the following industries felt the unhappiest with their pay:
Retail – 65% dissatisfied
Legal – 63% dissatisfied
Hospitality & Catering – 59% dissatisfied
Healthcare & Nursing – 51% dissatisfied
Teaching & Education – 50% dissatisfied
All of the above industries are in very service focused and demanding roles. My previous article discusses the reasons why UK workers in these roles are more likely to experience stress at work. There is also the increased pressure that a large amount of the above industries are strictly monitored by regulatory bodies which have far more serious investigations and repercussions for client dissatisfaction.
So what are your options?
One is to work out your ‘market value’ and consider whether you should be asking for a pay rise. I found a helpful website which could assist you with this.
Please note that if this is what you decide to do then you go about it in the correct way i.e. resist the urge to kick your boss’ door in with a print out from a website demanding more money, but save the information for appraisals, compose a comprehensive list of your skills and achievements and explain in a professional and practical manner as to why you believe you deserve that pay rise.
I am not guaranteeing it will work, but if it’s presented properly then there is no harm in asking.
Another option is to simply opt for a change and find another job, possibly to another industry. Adzuna’s survey highlighted the following industries that have had the largest improvements/falls in pay over the last 12 months;Improvements
- Trade & Construction Jobs +10.4%
- Scientific Jobs +10.3%
- IT Jobs +10.2%
- Manufacturing Jobs +8.4%
- Sales Jobs +8.1%
Fails
- Hospitality & Catering Jobs -2.1%
- Energy, Oil & Gas Jobs -0.55%
- PR & Marketing Jobs -0.44%
- HR Jobs -1.1%
- Healthcare & Nursing Jobs 0%
Granted, it is easier said than done to leave your employment and even more difficult to move industries, but if you are experiencing a high amount of stress and unhappiness in your current role it may be the best decision for you.
The final option is that you do nothing and ride it out! The latest official figures showed an average annual increase of 1.8% in annual wages in the last year, which is the largest increase in two years. Wages are finally rising at a quicker pace then inflation, which can hopefully only mean pay rises.
