The If You Could Jobs annual salary report

In May and June 2022 we invited those working in the creative industry to participate in their first annual salary survey. We wanted to create transparent salary ranges so employees could see how their current salary matched up to others in the industry and provide additional guidance for employers if desired. We heard from nearly 1,000 individuals about their salary, bonuses, salary transparency and perceptions towards fair pay. The main findings are summarised below:

Salary Bands (average, minimum, maximum) By Job Level (juniors, midweight and seniors) Were Available For 13 Different Job Roles

• Jobs from the Design and Creative sector were most represented, with salary ranges provided across all seniority levels of 5 jobs.
  
• These bands can be used by employees and employers during negotiation, to encourage offering pay in line with industry standards and to retain talent during a period where many are changing jobs.
  
• CEOs in business and operations management received the highest salaries, while producers, designers and creatives at the junior-level received the lowest.
  

Bonuses Differed Greatly Amongst Respondents

• A third of individuals received an annual bonus (average of £3,168).
  
• Higher bonuses were given to men, those working in a London-based company, those in a more senior role and those working in non-Design and Creative sectors.
  

Most Employees Felt That They Were Underpaid

• 52% felt that they were underpaid; 45% felt they were paid fairly; 3% felt that they were overpaid.
  
• Reasons for feeling this way included:
  
  

1. Direct comparison to the market
   
2. Appreciation (or under appreciation) for skills, knowledge, experience
   
3. Appropriate (or inappropriate) pay for the role and responsibilities of the job
   
4. Opportunities for reward and career progression
   
5. Discrimination based on gender and ethnicity
   
6. Perception of pay in relation to the cost of living
   

Salary Bands Were Not Transparent

• 70% reported that salary was not transparent within their company. These individuals felt discussing salaries with colleagues was ‘taboo’ and shared experiences of active suppression of salary discussions in their organisation.
  
• Those who reported it being transparent discussed openly available salary bands and scales. Positive transparent practices included clarity on progression, promotion and pay rises.
  
• More than half of individuals discussed salary raises during an annual review, although more than a quarter reported that there was no formal processes in place and relied ad hoc discussions instead.