US admin starting salaries set to rise

The 2016 Salary Guides from Robert Half reveal US starting salaries for professional occupations are expected to increase an average of 4.1 percent next year. The creative and administrative professions each registered projected starting salary gains of 3.8%.

Overall starting salaries for administrative professionals are expected to rise 3.8% in the coming year. As business picks up, firms are bringing on administrative staff to keep things on track and seek human resources workers to assist with hiring and retention.

When it comes to keeping the best and brightest, benchmarking compensation is essential, suggests research from Robert Half. Among more than 1,000 professionals polled, 83% said a bigger salary would be a top factor in prompting them to move to another company. The research also revealed that it would take a 26% salary increase, on average, to compel employees to head for greener pastures.

Workers were asked “Which of the following would most persuade you to move to another company?” Their responses are:

• Bigger salary: 83%
• More growth opportunities: 46%
• Better work-life balance: 40%
• Shorter commute: 33%
• Better title: 20%
• Other: 6%