MNI DATA: UK Pay Awards Slip In October: XpertHR

--UK August-October Pay Median Pay Deals 2.3% Vs 2.5% Jul-Sep 

By Jai Lakhani

     LONDON (MNI) - UK median pay deals dipped in the three months to October,

falling to 2.3%, a survey by XpertHR found. The middle half of pay awards came

in between 1.0% and 3.0% -- a more volatile range than recent months when the

middle half stood between 2.0% and 3.0%, the survey showed. 

     Official data points to the opposite of the Xpert HR survey with headline

and core earnings both surpassing the 3% threshold in recent months. 

     However, it is worth noting that the sample was from 57 effective pay deals

and October saw few manufacturing organisations concluding their pay awards,

leaving the survey dominated by the services sector. 

     --EMPLOYERS STRUGGLING TO OFFER HIGHER PAY

     Anecdotal evidence points to firms realising the pressure to match pay

awards from other organisations, with recruitment and retention leading to

upward pressure on pay. However, many note that they can't afford to match pay

awards. 

     "The latest figures suggest that many firms are still struggling to award

higher pay awards than over the past few years to their employees.

Private-sector employers are predicting that increases next year will be in the

region of 2.4%, broadly in line with the levels that XpertHR has recorded over

the past year," said Shelia Atwood, XpertHR pay and benefits editor.  

--MNI London Bureau; +44 203 865 3828; email: jai.lakhani@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: M$B$$$,M$E$$$]