South Africa Salary Guide and Hiring Insights 2022

Salary Benchmarks, In-demand Skills and Positions, Job Applicant Sentiments +more in Michael Page’s South Africa Salary Guide & Hiring Insights 2022

Michael Page, part of the FTSE-listed global recruitment firm PageGroup, has released a comprehensive report featuring salary benchmarks and in-demand positions and skills pertaining to disciplines and sectors including Engineering and Manufacturing, Finance and Accounting, Procurement and Supply Chain, Sales and Marketing, and Technology. The report is developed as a reference for hiring managers and job seekers to make informed employment decisions. Additionally, the report includes highlights from surveys with job applicants on key topics including remote working and relocation, mental health and well-being as well as skills and training.

As per the survey with 318 job applicants in South Africa, a majority of 88% believed they could fulfil their tasks or responsibilities remotely, highlighting the need for technology capabilities to be accelerated. What started as an enforced work-from-home policy for some companies has now evolved into a long-term strategy for most companies, thereby accelerating digital transformation and technology adoption across nearly all industries. Paul Newman (Operating Director – South Africa, Michael Page) shares, “With organisations realising that working from home can be productive and is a true solution, we have noticed a sharp increase in global organisations sourcing scarce talent to be based anywhere across the world, this is particularly true within the Technology sector where there is a real skills shortage in South Africa.”

During Q1 2021, Michael Page experienced a sharp increase in recruitment assignments in South Africa as compared to the previous year for mid-to-senior management level positions, and this pace continued throughout the year. This would indicate that businesses are in need for strong leadership and skilled candidates with considerable experience to drive business recovery during these challenging and uncertain times. “Almost all the industries and sectors showed a positive trend in terms of hiring activity, however, the Healthcare and Technology sectors have been the most active and we anticipate for it to continue in the medium term. Our Technical teams (Engineering, Manufacturing and Mining) also demonstrated momentum”, adds Newman.

A trend observed is that increasingly organisations are running lean teams, so they are looking for top talent to not only lead businesses but perform critical roles within their functions. One example is that for some Finance and Accounting roles, employers are looking for candidates with regional Africa experience in order for the responsibility of multiple countries to be grouped under one portfolio in the interest of streamlining. When it comes to supply chain roles, with the industry globally under a lot of pressure, this is making it challenging for employers to find candidates who have the right level of experience or the appetite to take on these demanding positions – thus, some employers are beginning to hire for supply chain roles on a contract-basis. In terms of soft skills, adaptability remains a desirable one for employers when hiring talent, especially for Sales and Marketing roles with the prominence on data and eCommerce to drive business leads.  

The pandemic has been a catalyst for change, reinvention, and growth as organisations continue to adapt to the realities of the market and a redefined business world. It has also seen many reconsider how they approach their recruitment strategy and process. As your recruitment partners, it has never been more important for us to provide you with the key statistics and information you need to inform your business decisions for the months ahead. Newman says, “That’s why we have put this guide together to offer clear insights in two key areas: the most in-demand skills and average salaries for key roles across different disciplines and sectors in South Africa.”

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