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    2022 UK State of Tech Salaries

    New Data on Salary Trends in the UK Following a Season of Hiring Contradictions

    While the Great Resignation defined 2021, 2022 is to be determined. Earlier this year we saw aggressive hiring in response to attrition and ambitious goals. More recently, we’ve witnessed uncertainty, volatility, and contradiction. Currently, we face an energy crisis in the UK, a new prime minister’s economic policy, living in a post-Brexit world, along with significant tech hiring freezes and layoffs. Yet despite these events, the hiring market remains cautiously optimistic. So what do we know about the status of 2022 UK tech salaries and the hiring climate?

    What the data tells us about 2022 UK tech salaries and employment

    In the US, for example, the unemployment rate is at a pre-pandemic low, inflation is cooling, there is a steady stream of job openings, and many companies need help finding top talent. Salaries continue to climb in the UK and Canada post-pandemic as well. In fact, Toronto and London had higher salary increases YoY, respectively, between 2021 and 2022 – than Boston, New York, SF Bay Area, and Seattle.

    As of this writing, the most recent release (13 September, 2022), from the Office of National Statistics, reported the total number of workforce jobs in the UK in June rose by 290K, on the quarter to a record 35.8 million. For the first time, this exceeds the preCOVID-19 level of December 2019. The employment rate decreased on the quarter but increased on the year and is still below pre-pandemic rates. So while there’s been some turmoil, there’s reason to be encouraged.

    Remote expands pipelines; gives employers an edge

    Employers continue to hire remote employees and enter new talent markets, although the UK has generally been more hesitant to do so than Canada and the US. Meanwhile, some high-profile companies in the US and elsewhere have announced return-to office policies, despite resistance from the majority of workers.

    Survey data in the 2022 State of UK Tech Salaries

    So as the winds shift towards an economic slowdown, will the pendulum swing more in favor of employer demands? Hired’s survey data tells us that while there is some sentiment of a power shift to employers in the next six months, the majority of candidates are considering leaving their current roles. They’re driven by the potential for more lucrative opportunities and an overall better fit.

    Expectations on salary, pay raises, and work flexibility remain sky high, placing the onus on employers to execute the right strategies to attract, hire, and retain top talent. In the 2022 State of Tech Salaries report, Hired provides one of the most in-depth analyses of the hiring environment today. Based on extensive proprietary marketplace data and a talent survey, it spans the US, Canada, and the UK. Ideally, these valuable insights will inspire meaningful conversations within organisations on hiring strategies, including the structure of compensation packages, flexible work models, and other talent initiatives.

    So what’s next for tech hiring?

    If there’s a North star in this tumultuous time, it’s that companies must be nimble when it comes to hiring. Explore new ideas, continue to rethink strategies, and revise hypergrowth models into ones for efficient growth. It’s the best way to cultivate a steady route to recruiting and retaining top employees. We stand by ready to help jobseekers and employers alike.

    In the 2022 State of UK Tech Salaries, we dive into Hired’s marketplace data to uncover insights specific to UK-based companies.

    With data and insights from more than 907,000 interview requests and survey responses from more than 2,000 technologists, we offer guidance to recruiters and talent acquisition leaders eager to stay competitive. With this eBook, companies can adapt hiring strategies and retain top talent, thriving despite an uncertain market.

    Key takeaways from the 2022 State of UK Tech Salaries eBook

    UK compensation trends based on role, industry, company size, and years of experienceThe impact of remote or work-from-home trends on tech salaries4 steps to increase hiring efficiencies and strengthen your employer brand, and more! More

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    Activating Employer Brand as a Science and Technology Company

    Successful employer brand activation is all about thinking globally for this 352-year-old, progress-driven science and technology company.
    Merck Group has dedicated itself to furthering human progress through science and technology. It’s a lofty mission and one its team takes very seriously, particularly employer brand leader Chris Dinwiddy.
    You Value Curiosity
    Merck Group’s EVP, “Bring your curiosity to life,” carries two meanings for Dinwiddy. It invites employees to nurture their curiosity, but it also encourages employees to direct that curiosity toward improving life on earth. Curiosity isn’t just a trait of a great hire; it’s a skill that helps Merck Group make the world a better place.
    Curiosity also motivates the employer brand team’s investment in its ambassador network. With so many markets worldwide (including China, the US, Germany, and others), Dinwiddy has realized the importance of nurturing one-on-one relationships with regional heads of recruitment and demonstrating an interest in their unique region.
    You Stay Innovative
    When courting an in-demand demographic, filling a specific role type, or launching a campaign, the employer brand team relies on SAP SuccessFactors tools and custom landing pages. They keep a close on their Google Analytics and other sources of quantitative data, while also tracking more qualitative feedback (candidate comments like ”I didn’t know much about you before I applied” or “I’ve seen your brand around”) to measure success.
    The team is also trying out a new tool that’s been instrumental in gathering employee-generated content: an app called PathMotion, specifically designed to help candidates connect with employees.
    You Prioritize Humans
    “The recruitment industry’s drifted in the last few years away from corporate and polished,” Dinwiddy observes. Now, candidates are responding more to honest, authentic, and candid messaging.
    For Dinwiddy, this human-centered and end-user-focused culture is key to what makes it a great place to work and such an easy employer to promote. In describing his experience at Merck Group, Dinwiddy offers the same kind of candidness he encourages in brands: “My job’s really special. I work for a brilliant company—and I’m not just saying that because they pay my salary!”

    To follow Chris Dinwiddy’s work in employer brand, connect with him on LinkedIn. For help gathering data and insight that you can act on to improve your company, get in touch.
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    8 Ways to Hire Faster & Build a Better Employer Brand

    What You’ll Learn

    How to fill positions more efficiently through tools, templates, and moreThe partnership making hires an average of 11 days fasterThe strategy that took an offer acceptance rate from 60% to 88%

    About this eBook, 8 Ways to Hire Faster & Build a Better Employer Brand

    In a panel discussion led by Hired CTO Dave Walters, talent leaders from Gem, Tanium, NBCUniversal, and One Medical shared their thoughts on trends and best practices for optimizing the candidate experience.

    They reviewed how to improve the hiring process by strengthening the experience and by extension, the employer brand. Now, we are covering eight of their strategies to consistently help their teams fill tech and sales jobs efficiently. Use them to take action with your recruiting goals! More

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    Building Employer Brand Awareness with Global Tech Talent

    Everyone’s looking for tech talent, and the competition within this highly in-demand market is steep. This is the challenge Liz Gelb-O’Connor faces as ADP’s VP/Global Head of Employer Brand and Marketing. Here’s how Gelb-O’Connor and her team are tailoring their employer brand strategy to attract tech talent specifically.
    Building Global Awareness
    As a payroll services provider, ADP pays one out of every six workers in the US and is almost a household name. However, outside of the US, it doesn’t have the same level of recognition as major US consumer brands.
    The employer brand team spent 10 months researching the international talent markets that yielded the most candidates and nurturing relationships with partner organizations in other countries. The result was an EVP localized for each country—a monumental effort that turned out to be well worth it, Gelb-O’Connor says.
    Nurture Future Talent
    ADP’s employer brand team also devotes energy to the very top of the tech talent funnel, those that aren’t looking for work right now but may be strong candidates in the future. ADP’s tech blog, a first of its kind for the company, keeps future talent abreast of industry conversations and news while showcasing the brand’s innovation and the thought leadership of its tech employees.
    The results of this tech-tailored approach to employer brand have been powerful. In the five years since Gelb-O’Connor began leading employer brand, ADP has won industry accolades, and earned a strong NPS score for its candidate experience. Cost of hire has dropped, and the candidate conversion rate for the tech career site is twice the rate of its main career site (despite launching during the hiring slowdown of May 2020).
    This rapid change and growth around tech is one of the things that makes Gelb-O’Connor so excited to lead employer brand at ADP. “It never gets old,” she says. “That’s been the most rewarding thing: seeing how far we’ve come.”

    To follow Liz Gelb-O’Connor’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn. For help identifying the values and culture you want to create in your company, get in touch.
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    Navigating Market Uncertainty: The State of Tech Hiring (VIDEO)

    Watch this webinar-on-demand to hear in-depth analyses of the hiring market today, based on the 2022 State of Tech Salaries data report. Listen to meaningful conversations regarding hiring strategies, including the structure of compensation packages, flexible working models, and other talent initiatives.

    Hear from:

    Hired CEO Josh BrennerVP & GM, Employer Solutions for General Assembly Catie BrandHead of People, Virtru, Conley (Henderson) McIntyre and Director, Talent Acquisition, Markforged, Bryan Robinson.

    Download this collaborative panel discussion to discover: 

    Salary trends by role and years of experienceChanges in industry benchmarks such as average time-to-hireKey opportunities to win over top tech talent efficientlyImpact of global remote on tech talent hiring More

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    Employer Brand at a Booming E-Commerce Company

    This pet care brand is building an exceptional culture while growing rapidly, thanks in part to its successful employer brand strategy. And though stay-at-home orders certainly played a role in Chewy’s success, it isn’t just the convenience of online shopping that’s driving its transformation.
    Its employer brand is helmed by Senior Employer Brand Manager Kara Hendrick, who has played a crucial role in helping Chewy keep pace with a season of rapid growth.
    Internal Champions
    The employer brand function at Chewy grew out of the company’s goal to raise awareness of the growing number of diverse roles it needed to fill. Chewy’s HR department was one of its first champions, which kickstarted company-wide enthusiastic support for Hendrick’s work.
    Hendrick knows that finding these internal champions is key to employer brand success, and she prioritizes building relationships with stakeholders in PR, talent management, branding, and social. These relationships are especially beneficial for employer brand projects with vast scope but limited resources; they help Hendrick avoid getting too “in the weeds.”
    Culture Investment
    This attention to the personal pervades Chewy’s culture beyond its customer service strategy. Team members aren’t “employees” but “Chewtopians,” and Chewy’s operating principles include statements like “Act like an owner.”
    When lockdown restrictions forced Chewy’s corporate offices and customer service centers into home offices, the company’s talent management and employee experience teams met with its CHRO and CEO to revisit and recommit to its values.
    No One-Size-Fits-All Strategy
    Chewy recruits for corporate customer service, tech, and fulfillment center roles, all while maintaining a unified message and navigating each talent segment’s unique challenges. Hiring for a diverse array of roles, Hendrick has learned, demands diverse strategies.
    “What attracts a software engineer in Boston isn’t the same as what attracts an operations manager in Dayton, Ohio,” she observes. Designing an employer brand strategy that will be successful for all these markets demands careful listening.
    This fact hit home in Hendrick’s early days at Chewy when she met with the Head of Fulfillment Center Recruiting. After listening to Hendrick present her grand plans for targeting fulfillment center candidates, he asked, “Have you ever visited a Chewy fulfillment center?” Hendrick admitted she hadn’t yet. But after her first visit, “It all made sense.”

    To follow Kara Hendrick’s work in employer brand, connect with her on LinkedIn. For help gathering the right data and developing strategies to make real change at your company, get in touch.
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    How Smart Companies are Solving Post-Lockdown Working (4 New Trends)

    From ‘swarm teams’ to the metaverse, innovative ideas take on the challenges of the new world of work…

    In late 2021, Professor Lynda Gratton of the London Business School asked 150 executives from companies around the world for their take on the biggest challenge currently facing businesses. The answer came back loud and clear: “retaining people,” closely followed by “recruiting people.”

    It picked up on a problem destined to grow. The Great Resignation, the result of lockdown-fuelled dissatisfaction with our jobs was first. Then it was followed by the Great Reshuffle, as workers leapt from job to job in search of fulfillment. As we entered post-lockdown working, how would companies evolve?

    In May this year, the UK’s Office for National Statistics revealed that there were more job vacancies than unemployed people in the country for the first time since records began. The marketplace has since begun to settle, but a July survey of 1,100 US professionals showed that 31 percent were planning to quit within the next 12 months. In other words, employers still need to focus hard on hiring and keeping the best talent.

    Post-Lockdown Working at Home vs In-office

    According to Josh Brenner, CEO of Hired, the largest AI-driven recruitment marketplace for tech workers, what is most likely to attract and retain employees is the offer of flexible working. In a recent Hired survey, less than two percent of respondents wanted a full, five-day return to the office.

    “We’ve seen really high rates of attrition when companies have forced people back to the office for a full five-day schedule,” he says.

    With that comes the need to make the best of hybrid work, potentially across disparate geographies. In order to retain employees, companies also need to work harder to engage them. They need to help them feel aligned with the organization’s values, Brenner believes.

    “When we hear about companies losing high numbers of staff, a lot of it is because employees feel disconnected. They lack a solid understanding of where the company’s going, and how their work  bubbles up and contributes to goals.”

    Throw in the need to prepare for a fast-changing world – technologically, geo-politically – and you have a cluster of problems for companies to solve in post-lockdown working. Those that do so most effectively stand to gain a competitive advantage – so what are the most innovative trending ideas? 

    In WIRED’s report, readers learn about the:

    AI company that has done away with managers marketing company making a four-day week pay dividends professional services company using the metaverse to engage its workforcerise of a new C-suite role that’s re-shaping business… More

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    2022 Survey Results: Top 3 Benefits Ranked by Engineers (Besides Salary)

    Last year was largely characterized by the Great Resignation but this year, in 2022, both employers and employees face uncertainty in the hiring market. This challenges employers to be more efficient when attracting, hiring, and onboarding new tech employees. To help you be more competitive when sourcing top talent, Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries report reveals the three benefits ranked highest by engineers.

    Analyzing data from more than 907,000 interview requests across over 47,750 active positions, the process revealed insights from top tech talent and what they want in potential employers. 

    Potential candidates strongly factor benefits into their decision so this is important to your retention efforts with current employees. 

    Incorporate The Top Three Benefits in Your Recruiting Strategy 

    Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries Report revealed engineers rank three benefits as most important to their job search outside of base compensation: flexible schedule, PTO, and physical health benefits. Are you an employer, recruiter, or hiring manager? Prioritize these benefits for robust recruiting and talent retention strategies and efforts. 

    1. Flexible Work Schedule 

    The pandemic forced companies to jump into remote work head first. However, as we adapt to the future of work, Hired found employees aren’t interested in fully returning to the office. Take a look at the response to our WFH questions. We found only 2% considered an in-office workplace most ideal. While over half (54.2%) would be willing to go back to the office if it came with more job security, they also reported they would search for other jobs with flexible remote work options right away.

    Note the flexible option to work from home is now the bare minimum. You need a comprehensive flexible work schedule. Here are a few trending best practices to consider implementing and promoting: 

    Shortened Work Week 

    Many companies are testing adaptable schedules, such as shortened work weeks. This model makes sense, especially for tech roles unnecessarily tied to the traditional, Monday-Friday, 9-5 work week. Companies adapting to a 4-day model see increased productivity and better work-life balance. 

    Family-Friendly Workplace 

    The pandemic also shined a light on the specific challenges faced by caregivers. For working parents or those caring for aging adults, it was overdue. It humanized a lot of working relationships and often provided a bit of levity. How many kids and dogs have you seen on video calls?

    As a result, reports found 57% of senior leaders plan to prioritize care benefits. When promoting flexible scheduling options, emphasize families may work around their responsibilities. Remember to be inclusive. Flexible scheduling isn’t only for working parents. Think of those who are in the “sandwich generation” or taking care of partners/parents. 

    2. Clear PTO Policies 

    First, it’s best to define your PTO policy. You won’t get far with candidates with vague mentions of “generous PTO.” What does that mean? Generous to whom? It’s all relative. Instead, clearly outline policies in your job postings. 

    Remember, asking employees to categorize their paid time off requests is passé. A solid and robust PTO strategy combines days for vacation, sick time, bereavement, and personal time in a single bank for employee use — no explanations for their use needed.

    Another hot-button topic for benefits is the debate over unlimited PTO. There are pros and cons to its implementation:

    Cons of Unlimited PTO

    Ambiguity actually makes employees take less time off. Branka Vuleta, founder of LegalJobs.io, explains: “In reality, people who have an opportunity to take as many vacations as they can end up taking fewer days off than those with a limited amount of days off in a year.

    In a nutshell, the unlimited PTO policy is a marketing trick supposed to lure people into applying for the job.” Employees new to unlimited PTO may not understand it’s not accrued, and therefore, isn’t paid out if they leave.

    Pros of Unlimited PTO

    Allows employees to take time off at their discretion and puts no caps on the number of days or hours used. This respects employees as adults instead of kids with a hall pass. This empowerment can be an attractive recruiting tool in a competitive marketplace.

    Employee Communication Guidance

    No matter what you decide, the key is to disclose as much insight into your PTO policy as possible. The last two decades of the tech revolution coupled with the pandemic created a more fluid and open-minded environment. 

    Prospective and current employees still want to understand, however, how and when they can take time off, and what the policy will mean to them. Consider mentioning:

    Required PTO minimums: Explain how your company requires workers to take time off to avoid burnout. Assistance with PTO coverage: This is often an issue with the unlimited PTO policies. People can take off as much time as they want, but covering ongoing projects, deliverables, and duties is cumbersome. Have company leadership take this burden off employees’ shoulders and be sure to communicate this in your job posting. People-first strategy: Showcase your first priority is employee morale, mental wellness, and as much work-life balance as possible. 

    3. Physical Health Benefits

    Healthcare in the U.S. is more expensive than ever. Combined with the painful lessons of the pandemic, employees are more aware of the importance of physical health and wellness.

    So, health benefits play an integral role in recruiting and retaining employees. In addition, study after study proves healthier employees are happier and more productive — benefiting employers and their bottom line.

    Physical health benefits include medical, dental, mental wellness, vision, and other benefits relating to healthcare. But it doesn’t stop there. While it’s imperative to list your complete health benefits offerings, be creative when it comes to wellness coverage and perks. Use these innovative companies and ideas as inspiration:

    Platforms like Modern Health allow employees to enjoy a full spectrum of mental and physical health benefits via one app. Companies like Accenture provide confidential employee assistance programs with training and resources to help with stress, mental health, or substance abuse.A fitness reimbursement program can offer financial assistance for gym memberships, virtual exercise classes, or even personal trainers. For instance, Microsoft offers “$1,200 per year for employee-only wellness-related expenses that help you get and stay fit physically, emotionally, and financially.”  

    Refer to this exhaustive list of perks and stipends for more examples.  

    Want to Attract and Retain Tech Talent? Promote the Right Benefits 

    Competing for tech talent in this current hiring climate and job market may feel like a herculean task, but it doesn’t have to be. Just adapt your strategies to meet evolving expectations surrounding work-life balance, remote work, and other benefits. The good news is the work to make these shifts benefits your current team members and retention efforts, too.

    Remember to emphasize your attractive benefits (specifically flexible schedules, PTO, and health benefits) on your careers page, job postings, and even social media. Shout about them everywhere. Quantify and qualify them to put it into context for prospective candidates. Consider asking current team members to participate in testimonials, quotes, or case studies. 

    This is a difficult time, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Hired’s platform allows you to highlight benefits in your company profile and helps ensure they’re communicated to candidates (i.e., in email requests to interview).

    Hired also gives you access to ongoing real-time market data to tailor your outreach and optimize response rates. This ultimately saves HR teams time to focus on higher-level tasks like retention via employee experience.  

    Top Benefits Ranked by Survey Respondents

    Get even more details about what tech professionals like engineers want regarding salaries, benefits, remote work flexibility, and more.

    Related 

    Tracy Ring is a freelance writer and content marketer. She brings a real-life perspective to her writing from 10+ years of diverse experience, including HR, project management, customer and client relations, and admin roles. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter. More