Healthcare workers are sick of their salaries

This is according to the 2007 Careers24.com Salary Survey, the most comprehensive online survey of its kind ever undertaken in South Africa. The specialist recruitment portal's survey results effectively benchmark salary levels across a myriad industries and reveal a checklist of career related information available from www.careers24.com.

Says Geoff Cohen, General Manager of Careers24.com: “Connected healthcare workers are earning less than average with only 39% earning market related salaries every month. Is this a reason to leave South Africa and work overseas? Not necessarily. More than two thirds of the same respondents received an annual average salary increase of 9%. This figure is higher than many other industries, indicating a focus on raising the remuneration levels to at least the perceived industry median.”

The average age of staff in the healthcare industry is 35 years with the average salary sitting at R18 250. Employees in the healthcare industry appear content with what they do, 53% confirmed they were happy with what they do with only 14% indicating they were bored at work.

In terms of education, 29% of the participants are post graduates, and a further 27% have technikon degrees or diplomas. Taking this into consideration, it is even more surprising that 33% earn monthly salaries ranging between
R6 001.00 and R12 000.

Cohen continues: “Information areas covered in the Careers24.com Salary Survey included participant's position, what their salary package includes, work experience and recent salary increases. The results explore industry trends in salary packages, gender issues and salary weighting by region. In total 19 249 responses were received, which makes this one of the biggest independent online recruitment surveys in South Africa, if not the largest.”

Careers24.com intends to make this an annual survey which will become the benchmark for salary levels and which will be a ready reference for both employer and employee.

While there are a number of salary surveys in existence, they are all industry specific. Careers24.com conducted the first overarching survey for all industries, professions and jobs.

The survey invited South Africans working in all industries to log on to the Careers24.com site and confidentially enter their salary details online. The results from 3% of the participants reflect that they are employed in the healthcare industry. The following information was also revealed about employees in this sector:

Education level:

16% matric
20% university graduates
29% post graduates
27% technikon degree/diplomas
8% other qualifications

Monthly income:

11% - R1 000 – R6 000
33% - R6 001 – R12 000
22% - R12 001 – R18 000
12% - R18 001 – R24 000
8% - R24 001 – R30 000
10% - R30 001 – R50 000
4% - R50 001 +

Competitiveness of remuneration:

8% above average
39% market related
53% below average

Average salary by age:

20s - R12 163.00
30s - R18 444.00
40s - R23 308.00
50s - R27 001.00

Averages:

Average age of 35
Average salary: R18 250
Average percentage of salary for bonus received: 63%
Received salary increase in the past 12 months: 74%
Average of increase: 9%

Percentage of people feeling bored: 14%

Percentage of people feeling stressed: 33%

Percentage of people feeling content: 53%

The results are reflective of respondents who answered the survey and not of all working South Africans. The following guidelines will contextualise the results:

· 12% of working South Africans have access to the internet. The average income of working South Africans who have access to the internet is almost four times that of workers who do not access the Internet.

· 89% of internet users are in LSM 7-10 and 86% live in urban areas.

· The Careers24.com Salary Survey 2007 therefore draws its sample from the top income earners who are predominantly urban LSM 7-10s and are technologically competent i.e. the crème de la crème of our working population.

Sample details:

· The study was skewed towards people who had internet access due to its methodology

· A good national spread was obtained, with some over-representation of Gauteng (57%) and under-representation of Eastern Cape (3%) and KwaZulu Natal (7%).

· There were few under 24s in comparison to the overall Internet user profile due to the nature of study. Ages 24-34 were the most well covered making up a total of 31% of participants.

· 54% of the participants were male. This is a good male/female split as was the work level representation.

· The majority of the sample were full time permanent workers (89%).

· Workers in the Information Technology/Telecommunications and Finance fields were the most eager respondents.

·Chemicals, Mining, Gas/Water, Education, Manufacturing and Transport seem to have older employees whilst Advertising/Media, Hospitality/Travel and IT/ Telecomms have the youngest.

For more information, please visit www.careers24.com.

Issued on behalf of:
Careers24.com
Geoff Cohen – general manager
Tel: 021 468 8101
geoff.cohen@sa.24.com