Pay gap widens

February 5, 2004

Pay gap widens

Whilst overall temporary and permanent pay rose across most job types in 2003, the gap widened significantly between those earning top rates and those at the lower end of the scale, according to new salary research by Kelly Services.

National results
On average, temporary staff on the lower end of the scale (across the 16 job types measured) earned £6.06 per hour in 2003. This was 2.42% up on 2002. However, at the higher end of the scale (across the same basket of 16 jobs) temporaries earned on average £8.75 per hour – an increase of 8.48% from 2002 to 2003.

On average, permanent placements at the lower end of the scale earned £12,030 in 2003. This was an increase of just 1.34% over 2002. However, at the top end permanent placements earned an average of £18,097 – an increase of 6.52% over 2002.

Job variations
Call centre managers were the big winners of 2003 with salaries up significantly across the board. As temporaries, Call centre managers across the UK, could expect to earn an average hourly pay packet of between £9.73 and £15.70. Those in permanent placements could obtain salaries of between £20,233 and £32,800. However, in the Greater London area a top manager could aim for up to £25.00 per hour as a temporary and up to £50,000 per year in a permanent placement.

PA/secretaries can earn a UK average of between £6.99 and £9.80 per hour as temporaries or between £14,083 and £22,767 when in permanent work. This of course depends on location, with PA/secretaries in The City having the opportunity to earn between £9.50 and £14.50 per hour as temporaries and £18,000 to £30,000 per year on permanent placements. However, pay can drop as low as £6.00 per hour or £10,000 per year in East Anglia.

Industrial jobs (production assistant, warehouse operative, stores worker and forklift operators) seem to have gained better than average pay rises in 2003. In particular both temporary and permanent forklift drivers enjoyed double-digit percentage increases at the top of the pay scale. Sussex and Kent, Northampton and the East Midlands all offer permanent top scale forklift driver salaries in excess of £20,000. The national average was £16,483.

Office juniors have the lowest permanent pay of the 16 job types for which information was gathered. Their average national permanent pay ranges from £8567 to £11,483 but in Glasgow it can go as low as £7500.

The full Kelly Services 2004 Salary Survey can be viewed here