Our 2022 business support and administration salary guide is based on data from 6.6 million jobs posted to Reed.co.uk over the last three years, highlighting the most interesting developments across the sector, enabling you to assess trends and plan for the future.
Here are seven reasons you can be optimistic about the business support and administration sector in 2022:
1. Salaries across all 12 regions have gone up this year
In all 12 of the UK regions, salaries have increased this year. The regions that have experienced the largest growth are the North West (6.6%), West Midlands (6.1%), South West (4.9%), with East Anglia and the East Midlands have both seen growth of 4.8%.
2. Most professionals are happy with the salary they receive
We conducted a survey of over 500 professionals at the end of 2021 and found that 56% of people were happy with the salary they receive. The most cited reason for this is they feel satisfied that the work they do is right for the salary they receive. While this is a great reason to be optimistic about the sector this year, companies need to ensure that this does not deter them from regularly benchmarking their salaries against their competitors if they want to continue to attract and retain top talent.
3. Businesses have adapted well to faster recruitment practices
The jobs market is highly competitive and the constantly changing Covid regulations mean that firms need to be agile and be able to switch seamlessly between face-to-face recruitment and remote hiring. However, many businesses have adapted well to these recruitment challenges, speeding up their processes and giving themselves the best chance to secure talent.
4. An abundance of jobs in the sector
It is a very good time for business support and administration professionals to look for a new position, or to enter the sector, as there are an abundance of available roles. Salaries are increasing and companies are recognising the need for effective support staff to help build their businesses back up in a post-pandemic world.
5. Some companies are doing better than they were before Covid
In the recent survey we conducted for our 2022 business support and administration salary guide, we asked participants how well their company had bounced back since the Covid-19 outbreak. Many respondents said they are doing better than before Covid (35%), 31% were back to pre-pandemic levels, 29% were almost at pre-pandemic levels, and only 5% had not bounced back well at all.
6. Companies are prioritising employee wellbeing
Companies now understand the importance of employee wellbeing following a mentally draining and difficult time for most over the past few years. We asked survey respondents what issue was highest on their company’s agenda, and the most common response (22%) was maintaining wellbeing of staff.
7. Confidence in job security and the sector is returning
Following a period of mass furloughs, redundancies, and hiring freezes at the start of the pandemic, people’s confidence in their job security was low. However, by the end of 2021, 80% of survey respondents said they believe their job is secure, with only 7% stating they don’t feel it is, and 13% being unsure. Additionally, confidence in the sector is growing, with 79% feeling positive about the future of their industry, 16% feeling neutral, and only 5% with negative feelings.
For more information on salaries and benefits in the sector, download our free 2024 business support and administration salary guide here.
