Automotive sector: only 25.9% of professionals expect pay rise

A new study from independent job board CV-Library shows that only a quarter (25.9 per cent) of automotive professionals expect to receive a pay rise from their employer in the next 12 months. The job board surveyed 1,100 UK professionals to understand their perceptions of where their career will head over the next year. Automotive professionals’ confidence is significantly lower than the average 41.3 per cent who believe their salary will increase during this time. Only 7.4 per cent in the sector believe they will be offered a promotion during this time compared to the national average of 18.7 per cent.

Lee Biggins, founder and CEO of CV-Library comments: “It’s understandable that automotive professionals aren’t feeling optimistic about their pay prospects, especially if they’ve lost income in recent months. The coronavirus outbreak has led to disruption in the supply chain for parts, closures of factories and delayed MOTs until December. As such, many businesses in the sector may struggle to make ends meet and be unable to offer an increase in pay or career progression.

“However, it’s important that you still do what you can to make your employees feel valued in another way. This can be done by offering better training opportunities, initiating a reward system for hard work or by promoting a supportive company culture.”

The website said that workers are right to keep expectations low. Salaries dropped by 1.3 per cent month-on-month in July, and by 0.9 per cent year-on-year. However, the findings show that, of the automotive professionals surveyed that are currently unemployed, 60 per cent of them are confident that they will secure a new role in the next three months.

Biggins continues: “The data clearly shows that automotive professionals have lost a great deal of confidence in the job market. While some professionals may be hopeful about their career in the future, it may take longer than expected to find the perfect role. However, if you’re in the industry and looking to hire, it’s imperative that you streamline your recruitment process and advertise your new roles effectively in order to attract new talent.”