Salary Increase Trends in India 2023: HRs and Employers Guide

A salary increase is a raise in an employee’s base salary. Salary increases are important for both employees and employers. For employees, salary increases can help to improve their financial well-being and motivate them to stay with their current employer. For employers, salary increases can help to attract and retain top talent, improve employee morale, and boost productivity.

Why are salary increases important for HRs and employers?

As an HR professional or employer, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest salary increase trends. This will help you to ensure that your salary budget is fair and competitive, and that you are paying your employees what they are worth.

There are a number of factors that can affect salary increases, including experience, skills and qualifications, industry, location, company size, and performance. It is important to consider all of these factors when setting salary budgets and negotiating salary increases with employees.

Salary increase trends in India in 2023

According to a recent survey by WTW, the average salary increase in India is expected to be 10% in 2023. This is slightly higher than the actual increase of 9.8% in 2022.

The survey also found that salary increases are expected to vary by industry, with the highest increases in the technology, financial services, and healthcare sectors. Salary increases are also expected to be higher in top cities and for employees with in-demand skills.

Factors that affect salary increases

• Experience: Employees with more experience typically earn higher salaries.
• Skills and qualifications: Employees with in-demand skills and qualifications are more likely to receive higher salary increases.
• Industry: Salary increases vary by industry, with some industries offering higher salary increases than others.
• Location: Salary increases are typically higher in top cities than in tier 2 and 3 cities.
• Company size: Salary increases are typically higher at larger companies than at smaller companies.
• Performance: Employees who perform well are more likely to receive higher salary increases.

Salary increase trends by industry

• Technology: The technology industry is one of the highest-paying industries in India, and salary increases in this sector are expected to be above average in 2023.
• Finance: The financial services industry is another high-paying industry in India, and salary increases in this sector are also expected to be above average in 2023.
• Healthcare: The healthcare industry is another sector that is expected to see above-average salary increases in 2023.
• Manufacturing: The manufacturing industry is a major employer in India, but salary increases in this sector are expected to be below average in 2023.
• Retail: The retail industry is another major employer in India, but salary increases in this sector are also expected to be below average in 2023.
• Education: The education sector is a growing sector in India, but salary increases in this sector are expected to be below average in 2023.

Salary increase trends by location

• Top cities: Salary increases are typically higher in top cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore.
• Tier 2 and 3 cities: Salary increases are typically lower in tier 2 and 3 cities than in top cities.

Salary increase trends by company size

• Startups: Startups typically offer lower salaries than established companies, but they may offer higher salary increases to attract and retain top talent.
• Small businesses: Small businesses typically offer lower salaries than medium-sized and large businesses, but they may offer higher salary increases to attract and retain top talent.
• Medium-sized businesses: Medium-sized businesses typically offer lower salaries than large businesses, but they may offer higher salary increases to attract and retain top talent.
• Large businesses: Large businesses typically offer the highest salaries and salary increases.

Salary increase trends for different job roles

• Entry-level: Entry-level employees typically receive the lowest salary increases.
• Mid-level: Mid-level employees typically receive higher salary increases than entry-level employees, but lower salary increases than senior-level employees.
• Senior-level: Senior-level employees typically receive the highest salary increases.

Projected and actual salary increase (median) for companies in India

2022 Q4 Asia Pacific median salary increase budget

Inflation vs. Salary budget increases

Voluntary attrition trends in India over the last two years

Industry-wise budgeted salary increase trends

How to negotiate a salary increase for your employees?

• Do your research: Before you negotiate a salary increase with an employee, it is important to do your research and find out what the market rate is for their position, skills, and experience. You can use online salary calculators, industry reports, and government websites to find this information.
• Be prepared to walk away: It is important to be prepared to walk away from a negotiation if you are not able to reach an agreement that is fair to both you and the employee. This will show the employee that you are serious about their request and that you are willing to negotiate.
• Be confident: When negotiating a salary increase, it is important to be confident. This means being prepared to state your case clearly and concisely. It also means being willing to listen to the employee’s concerns and to try to find a compromise.

How to set salary budgets for your employees?

When setting salary budgets for your employees, it is important to consider the following factors:

• The factors that affect salary increases: The factors that affect salary increases, such as experience, skills and qualifications, industry, location, and company size, should all be considered when setting salary budgets.
• Salary benchmarks: It is also important to research salary benchmarks for similar positions in your industry and location. This will help you to ensure that your salary budgets are fair and competitive.
• Your company’s financial situation: Your company’s financial situation should also be considered when setting salary budgets. If your company is struggling financially, you may need to set lower salary budgets.

Conclusion

Salary increases are an important part of employee compensation and retention. By staying up-to-date on the latest salary increase trends and by negotiating salary increases fairly and confidently, you can ensure that your employees are paid what they are worth and that you are attracting and retaining top talent.

Tips for managing salary increases in 2023

Here are some tips for managing salary increases in 2023:

• Be proactive: Don’t wait for employees to come to you to ask for a salary increase. Be proactive and review employee salaries on a regular basis to ensure that they are fair and competitive.
• Be transparent: When setting salary budgets and negotiating salary increases, be transparent with your employees about the factors that you are considering. This will help to build trust and understanding between you and your employees.
• Be flexible: Be willing to negotiate salary increases with your employees. This does not mean that you have to agree to every request, but it does mean that you should be willing to listen to your employees’ concerns and to try to find a compromise.

FAQs

Additional Resources

• Salary.com: Salary.com is a website that provides salary information for a variety of positions and industries.
• Glassdoor: Glassdoor is a website where employees can anonymously review their employers and share salary information.
• PayScale: PayScale is a website that provides salary information and tools to help employees negotiate salary increases.