9.6% Avg. Salary Increase For India Inc In 2024; Attrition Decline Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels

According to the second edition of EY ‘Future of Pay 2024’ report, India Inc. is set for an average salary increase of 9.6 per cent in 2024, similar to the actual increase in 2023. Overall attrition dropped to 18.3 per cent in 2023 (from 21.2% in 2022) and is set to gradually decline over the next few years as companies prioritise cost management and employee wellbeing, stabilising the workforce amidst high talent demand.

In light of India's position as a global hub for technology and outsourcing services, the EY report highlights that e-commerce is expected to have the highest salary growth in 2024, at 10.9 per cent, followed by financial services with a projected growth of 10.1 per cent. Professional services’ salary is set to grow by 10 per cent in 2024, suggesting a rebound as companies invest in strategy alignment to navigate global business complexities. The impact of real estate and infrastructure as an emerging sector is also visible, as increments continue to be stable at 10 per cent.

As per the EY report, 35- 40 per cent of the technology workforce is made up of digital talent, a figure that is expected to become more crucial in the future. Amongst digital skills, super niche skills like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Blockchain skills are highly sought-after, commanding a premium in the range of 30-50 per cent.

Reflecting on the key findings, Abhishek Sen, Partner and Leader, Total Rewards, HR Technology and Learning, People Advisory Services, EY India said, “As we unveil our second edition of the 'Future of Pay' report, we provide industry stakeholders with a compass to navigate the ever-shifting landscape of Total Rewards. While overall average salary increase in India Inc. holds steady compared to last year, certain sectors such as ecommerce, financial services and professional services firms are poised for significant pay raise in 2024. There is also a discernible trend towards embracing a more comprehensive Rewards Value Proposition (RVP) to drive better ROI across all industries. Going forward, organizations will harness the transformative power of AI to craft bespoke benefits packages, optimize reward procedures, and elevate overall employee satisfaction at workplace."

Attrition across sectors

As per the report, attrition rates in India have been fluctuating, influenced by macroeconomic factors and internal corporate strategies. Overall attrition dropped to 18.3 per cent in 2023, from 21.2 per cent in 2022. The highest levels of attrition in 2023 prevailed across financial services (24.8%), professional services (24.2%) and information technology (23.3%).

This year, voluntary attrition decreased slightly, while involuntary attrition rose, particularly among global companies, indicating layoffs in the IT and startup sectors due to global economic changes. Indian companies, however, showed resilience and performed better, experiencing less impact from economic shifts. Looking forward, attrition is expected to gradually decline over the next few years as companies focus on cost management and increased employee wellbeing amid high talent demand, thereby stabilising the workforce.

Trends in Total Rewards

80 per cent of the organisations emphasised the importance of “pay and benefits” and a need to move away from traditional employee benefits in the modern workforce. Top three areas of focus for employers are benefits cost planning (43%), employee wellness (29%), evaluating and aligning with industry standards (20%).

At 43 per cent, variable pay plan (non-sales) are the most common type of incentives plans offered in the organisation, followed by discretionary incentives (32%) and sales incentive plan (21%). 

The report reveals that in terms of job levels, Executives (CXOs) typically get the most variable pay, but their projected salary increases for 2024 are lower than those in 2023. Most employee levels are experiencing decreased variable pay percentages for 2024, except for the lowest-paid tiers, which might see a slight uptick. On an average, organisations distributed variable bonuses equivalent to 15.05 per cent of employees' annual fixed cash in 2023.

LTIPs are becoming increasingly diverse, flexible, and strategic

The report highlights that organizations have been creatively revamping their long-term incentive plans (LTIPs) in recent years. Shifting from cash rewards to stock incentives, around 26 per cent of companies focussed on LTIPs for performance rewards in FY23. There is also a marked increase in penetration of this rewards component across non CXO cadres fuelled largely by the booming new age digital enterprise growth in India.

Top talent trends as we head into 2024

Hybrid work cultures is gaining importance as it helps enhance work-life balance, productivity, and satisfaction. Unique hiring trends are observed in various sectors, like formation of ESG teams in financial services sector. There is an increasing trend towards ESG reporting among Indian companies with 60 per cent firms already utilising or on their way to utilise ESG policies.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives have become a pivotal part of corporate strategy. The top 3 DE&I initiatives are gender pay parity, defined DE&I policies and a diversifying talent pool.

AI and automated reward systems are personalising rewards and streamlining the rewarding process, reducing manual work. Going forward, companies are poised to utilise AI algorithms to customise benefits and improve employee satisfaction.