Faced with rampant inflation, companies have massively activated the lever of increases. In 2023, they reached “unprecedented levels”, according to a Deloitte study published at the end of August, with +4.5% on average across all sectors, including +4.6% for workers and salaried workers due to the successive increases in the minimum wage and 4.0%. for executives (+2.1 points in one year). Enough to partially offset inflation, which should rise to 5% this year, according to INSEE.
These levels are exceptional: salaries increased only 0.6% on average annually between 1996 and 2018, according to INSEE, with an average inflation of 2%. Above all, “96% of companies pay a budget increase of more than 2%,” emphasizes Deloitte.
As annual negotiations begin in companies (NAO) on salary increases for next year thanks to numerous review clauses, in a context that will continue to be inflationary, what can we demand?
In BFM Business, Laurent Blanchard of the PageGroup company states that he expects an average increase in salaries of 3.5 to 4% in 2024, “increases that will affect all populations, whether executives or non-executives.” .
A forecast in line with that of the Bank of France. “We expect an average increase in salaries of around 4%,” indicated Governor François Villeroy de Galhau” on September 19 on BFMTV. Or even with WTW which expects +3.9%.
Same trend for alixio office which expects provisions to increase by 3.8%. But “if inflation remains where it is, companies will be forced to exceed 3.8% and probably tangentially towards 4%,” completes Philippe Vivien, CEO of Alixio, on BFM Business.
Beware of economic uncertainties
But for some experts, the economic slowdown could limit future increases. “Whoever says “marked slowdown” says “destruction of jobs and increase in unemployment”, in which case the balance of power would change “to the detriment of employees”, observes economist Éric Heyer, director of the analysis and forecasts department of the OFCE. .
In fact, the Banque de France expects an unemployment rate of “around” 8% in 2024, compared to 7.2% currently.
Therefore, the advice would be not to delay too long in asking for a raise. But for Laurent Blanchard, of PageGroup, if the unemployment rate is higher than 7% for the entire population, “it is closer to 4%” in skilled professions, to which companies are willing to grant significant increases to keep to the employees.
A crucial objective in many companies facing talent shortages and increasingly demanding candidates. In pressured sectors, the situation is obviously different for employees negotiating raises or trying to change companies. Employees who remain in a position of strength.
“If companies do not grant raises, at some point they will have to hire outside and it is often more expensive, because the change has a premium. The salary at which they hire will also affect the current remuneration scales in the company.” , because people who already occupy positions will have difficulties to earn less,” Laurent Blanchard confirms to Le Parisien.
Specific increases
Also according to PageGroup, in new technologies, the cloud engineer (2 to 5 years of experience) can expect salary increases of between 7 and 13%, as demand is strong. For DevOps engineer with 2-5 years of experience, salaries could increase by 10-15% and 9-12% for some cybersecurity specialists with 2-5 years of experience.
In finance, the highly sought-after general accountant who has between 5 and 10 years’ experience can claim a 10% increase in 2024.
In the burgeoning sector of industry, and in particular green industry, the director of quality, health, safety and environment is in a strong position to ask for a 9 to 11% increase, +6 to 8% for the director technician and/or operations (2 to 5 years of experience) or +4 to 8% for the maintenance technician (5 to 10 years of experience).
Source: BFM TV
