2022: wages will increase slower than inflation

A study indicates that they should increase by 3.1 % on average this year and by 3.3 % in 2023.

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Faced with inflation, which reached 6.1 % at the end of July in France, and even more in the face of recruitment difficulties, will companies let go of ballast on wages? According to the WTW group (Willis Towers Watson, ex-Gras Savoye), which has carried out its traditional global survey on remuneration, the salary increases granted by French companies should be an average of 3.1 % in 2022. figure significantly lower than that of the rise in prices, but which remains significantly increased compared to the trend of recent years. From 2010 to 2019, average increases did not exceed 2.5 % per year, while 2020, the year of COVVI-19, even saw the figure fall to 2 %.

In 2023, companies could grant increases of 3.3 % on average, according to the survey. “This figure could even be revised upwards at the start of the school year, taking into account inflation expectations, and reaching 3.5 %, which would be unheard of since 1985,” said Khalil Ait-Mouloud, director of the Activity Remuneration survey at wtw.

more stingy

The average of 3.1 % for this year, of course covers disparities according to the activity sectors, trades and position levels. Wages are increasing much faster for digital, data and cybersecurity professionals. For the rest, the finance sector, new technologies (and particularly activities relating to semiconductors) and fintechs are at the top of the range “in terms of wage generosity.

Conversely, the retail bank, the food industry, tourism and accommodation-restaurant has been more stingy. In terms of types of position, it was the managers and executives who have best pulled out of the game, with boosts of 3.1 % to 3.2 % on their pay sheet, while the workers and Masters agents are satisfied from 2.9 % to 3 %. Note that French employees are doing less well than their European neighbors, where the anticipated remuneration increases are higher: for 2023, they stand 4 % in the United Kingdom, 3.8 % in Germany and 3 , 6 % in Spain. It is true that inflation is much stronger. In July, the rise in prices over twelve months reached 9.4 % in the United Kingdom, 8.5 % in Germany and 10.6 % in Spain.