Salary study on medium-sized companies provides insight beyond corporations

According to the managing director of the company Gehalt.de, Philip Bierbach, the large and influential companies are significantly responsible as drivers for the high salaries. "If large companies are able to attract high salaries, the smaller company in the neighbourhood, which recruits the same employees, must also pay an attractive salary," said Bierbach.

Frankfurt is a typical city for this problem: numerous companies in the financial sector and large pharmaceutical companies are located here, so that many small and medium-sized companies are subject to the downward spiral of salaries. Many companies in the automotive industry are based in Stuttgart or further south. Here too, local medium-sized companies often have to dig deeper into their pockets when recruiting. Conversely, wages and salaries in regions with lower group settlements, such as Dresden, Leipzig or even Berlin, are significantly below the level, as the attraction remains lower due to the lack of many large local corporations.

These results clearly demonstrate that the fight for specialists and high potentials is a labour market where it is not the employer alone who decides, but employees now have many levers to choose the best job for them. Entrepreneurs are strongly challenged here to consider intelligent measures in order to score the best points with the candidates. Recruiters should therefore see themselves more as service providers and candidates as clients.

Although there is no magic formula, it is very important that companies do not take the issue of recruitment lightly and are aware of the current situation on the labour market and the possible financial side effects. Employer branding is an important factor in differentiating oneself from the competition and clearly addressing the peculiarities of the company among candidates.

"We also feel the salary structure when we fill medium-sized mandates that are located in the environment of larger companies and groups. The ongoing battle for the best brains has had a massive impact on the salary structure of many small and medium-sized enterprises. Employers should not bury their heads in the sand and wait for this phase to pass. This trend has not yet reached the tip of the iceberg, which is probably just the beginning in many industries," says Martin Krill, Managing Director of Hager Unternehmensberatung GmbH.

Conclusion:
The shortage of specialists and managers is not only reflected in the identification of the best and most suitable minds. Winning and ultimately retaining the right personnel with the right means is also crucial in order to be excellently positioned in terms of personnel and ultimately stand out from the competition. Here, good advice can often work wonders.

Author:
Martin Krill has been working for Hager Unternehmensberatung for more than fifteen years and was made a managing partner in 2004. He fills top sales and management positions in the technology industry as well as a number of other sectors.