The PA and secretarial market has, for the first time since the end of the recession, seen the PA-to-Manager ratio decrease significantly, with large organisations and smaller companies introducing PAs to their business again. The increased demand for PAs has pushed salaries up, some increasing by up to 8%, with an average salary increase for Personal Assistants of 4% in 2015. Steve Heard, Director at Hays PA & Secretarial, comments
The most in demand PAs have received salary increases of on average 4% in the past year, with salary increases not localised to London and the south east but widespread across the UK.
In recent years we have seen an increasing demand for Personal Assistants who can support the overall organisation, as well as their boss, and take on additional duties. Today’s PAs view their profession as highly rewarding and are offered competitive salaries for their experience, establishing the role of a PA as an aspirational career path for graduates and new entrants into the profession.
Our research shows that PAs prioritise their work-life balance as the most important factor when considering a new role, second only to salary; respondents to our survey said they would change their flexible working options to improve this, however only a quarter currently make use of the flexible working options they are offered. We know that a skilled PA or EA is vital for bosses to successfully fulfil their own job, so if bosses are to retain their assistants they must listen to them. PAs in our Salary Guide Survey told us they wanted flexible working options but equally must speak up and tell their bosses what they are looking for.
Survey findings
Findings from a survey of more than 500 Personal Assistants revealed that almost all (99%) feel they have the skills needed to fulfil their current role, yet 58% of them feel there is no scope for career progression within their organisation. As 41% of Personal Assistants feel uncertain about their career prospects this year, it should be a concern for employers that 60% of the respondents to our survey stated they were looking to move jobs within 12 months.
Nearly half (49%) of Assistants said their salary had increased in the last 12 months and even more (52%) are optimistic about their pay in the year to come and expect their salaries to increase in the next 12 months. Despite more than half (56%) of Assistants saying they are unhappy with their salary, only a quarter had asked for a pay rise in the last year and of those only 11% were successful in their request.
More than two-thirds of respondents (67%) said the most important benefit to them when considering a new role is flexible working, followed by more than 25 days annual leave (62%) and then an above statutory contributory pension scheme (49%).
Nearly a quarter (23%) of Personal Assistants rate their work-life balance as the most important factor when considering a new role apart from salary; only 14% make use of remote working or home working in their current role and 63% do not make use of any flexible working options. Despite this, Personal Assistants are happier with their work-life balance better than the average UK worker, with 61% of respondents rating their work-life balance as very good or good, compared to a UK average of 58%.
| PA to C-Suite level | |||
| Region | Typical salary 2016 | Minimum salary 2016 | Maximum salary 2016 |
| Midlands | £35,000 | £28,000 | £38,000 |
| East of England | £32,000 | £23,000 | £35,000 |
| London | £45,000 | £40,000 | £55,000 |
| North East England | £30,000 | £25,000 | £35,000 |
| North West England | £35,000 | £25,000 | £40,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £28,000 | £25,000 | £32,000 |
| Scotland | £35,000 | £25,000 | £38,000 |
| South East England | £37,000 | £30,000 | £45,000 |
| South West England | £30,000 | £25,000 | £35,000 |
| Wales | £25,000 | £22,000 | £30,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £35,000 | £25,000 | £40,000 |
| National Avg. | £33,364 | ||
| 2015-2016 change | 1% | ||
| PA (non-board level) | |||
| Region | Typical salary 2016 | Minimum salary 2016 | Maximum salary 2016 |
| Midlands | £25,000 | £20,000 | £28,000 |
| East of England | £24,000 | £22,000 | £28,000 |
| London | £36,000 | £30,000 | £40,000 |
| North East England | £22,000 | £18,000 | £28,000 |
| North West England | £26,000 | £25,000 | £28,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £24,000 | £22,500 | £30,000 |
| Scotland | £24,000 | £22,000 | £28,000 |
| South East England | £28,000 | £25,000 | £30,000 |
| South West England | £21,000 | £18,000 | £25,000 |
| Wales | £19,000 | £18,000 | £22,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £25,000 | £22,000 | £28,000 |
| National Avg. | £24,909 | ||
| 2015-2016 change | 5% | ||
| Specialist Administrator | |||
| Region | Typical salary 2016 | Minimum salary 2016 | Maximum salary 2016 |
| Midlands | £18,000 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
| East of England | £22,000 | £22,000 | £28,000 |
| London | £28,000 | £30,000 | £40,000 |
| North East England | £18,000 | £18,000 | £22,000 |
| North West England | £19,000 | £24,000 | £28,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £19,000 | £18,000 | £24,000 |
| Scotland | £18,000 | £17,000 | £20,000 |
| South East England | £17,000 | £16,000 | £23,000 |
| South West England | £20,000 | £16,000 | £24,000 |
| Wales | £17,500 | £16,000 | £20,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £20,000 | £17,000 | £23,000 |
| National Avg. | £19,682 | ||
| Secretary | |||
| Region | Typical salary 2016 | Minimum salary 2016 | Maximum salary 2016 |
| Midlands | £20,000 | £18,000 | £22,000 |
| East of England | £22,000 | £20,000 | £25,000 |
| London | £32,000 | £28,000 | £35,000 |
| North East England | £16,000 | £15,000 | £19,000 |
| North West England | £18,500 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £21,000 | £20,000 | £25,000 |
| Scotland | £22,000 | £20,000 | £24,000 |
| South East England | £22,000 | £20,000 | £26,000 |
| South West England | £18,000 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
| Wales | £15,500 | £14,000 | £17,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £18,000 | £16,000 | £22,000 |
| National Avg. | £20,455 | ||
| 2015-2016 change | 8% | ||
