[Belgium] Employees rate current salaries just 6.7 out of 10

In Belgium, new research has revealed that employees are a long way from being fully satisfied with their pay, Brussels Times reports.

The annual study was conducted by HR services company Acerta together with KU Leuven, and reported by De Morgen.  It surveyed more than 2,000 employees and over 600 employers nationwide.

Participating employers also reported that they are dissatisfied with the wages they offer, and both sides stated that they believe better opportunities might exist elsewhere.

Employees reportedly gave their current salaries an average score of 6.7 out of 10, compared with what they think they could earn elsewhere. Employers only rated their own pay policies slightly higher, at 6.8 out of 10, compared with competitors.

Speaking to De Morgen, Charlotte Thijs - compensation expert at Acerta - stated that economic uncertainty and inflation are fuelling dissatisfaction. 

“Daily life is becoming more expensive while wages only follow inflation after a delay, usually once a year,” she said.

The survey found that employees at smaller companies are particularly critical of their salaries. Ms Thijs said some may believe that larger companies can offer more attractive pay packages and benefits.

Pay, however, is not the main factor determining whether workers remain with or leave an employer. Work-life balance and job security are still the top priorities for Belgian employees, above financial compensation.

In addition, the study reportedly found broad agreement between employers and employees on how wages should evolve in the future.

Both believe that individual competencies and performance should play a greater role in determining salaries, with employees even more in favour of this idea than employers themselves.

More than half of respondents (55.2 per cent) believe pay should be linked more closely to skills and competencies, while 52.8 per cent want stronger recognition for performance.

But opinions were dramatically different about seniority; nearly 44.4 per cent of employees believe years of service should be reinstated as a more decisive factor in salary calculations. Only 11.1 per cent of employers agreed.

“The right compensation is always about balance,” Ms Thijs said. “Employers look at what is financially feasible, while employees want their contribution to be rewarded fairly.

Source: Brussels Times

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

In Belgium, new research has revealed that employees are a long way from being fully satisfied with their pay, Brussels Times reports.

The annual study was conducted by HR services company Acerta together with KU Leuven, and reported by De Morgen.  It surveyed more than 2,000 employees and over 600 employers nationwide.

Participating employers also reported that they are dissatisfied with the wages they offer, and both sides stated that they believe better opportunities might exist elsewhere.

Employees reportedly gave their current salaries an average score of 6.7 out of 10, compared with what they think they could earn elsewhere. Employers only rated their own pay policies slightly higher, at 6.8 out of 10, compared with competitors.

Speaking to De Morgen, Charlotte Thijs - compensation expert at Acerta - stated that economic uncertainty and inflation are fuelling dissatisfaction. 

“Daily life is becoming more expensive while wages only follow inflation after a delay, usually once a year,” she said.

The survey found that employees at smaller companies are particularly critical of their salaries. Ms Thijs said some may believe that larger companies can offer more attractive pay packages and benefits.

Pay, however, is not the main factor determining whether workers remain with or leave an employer. Work-life balance and job security are still the top priorities for Belgian employees, above financial compensation.

In addition, the study reportedly found broad agreement between employers and employees on how wages should evolve in the future.

Both believe that individual competencies and performance should play a greater role in determining salaries, with employees even more in favour of this idea than employers themselves.

More than half of respondents (55.2 per cent) believe pay should be linked more closely to skills and competencies, while 52.8 per cent want stronger recognition for performance.

But opinions were dramatically different about seniority; nearly 44.4 per cent of employees believe years of service should be reinstated as a more decisive factor in salary calculations. Only 11.1 per cent of employers agreed.

“The right compensation is always about balance,” Ms Thijs said. “Employers look at what is financially feasible, while employees want their contribution to be rewarded fairly.

Source: Brussels Times

(Link and quotes via original reporting)