The latest Australian Institute of Management’s (AIM) 2014 National Salary Survey shows the construction and engineering industry is ahead of the national average for salary movement in 2013/2014.

Recording an average salary movement of 4.02 per cent in 2013/2014, construction and engineering workers increased their wages – above the 3.6 per cent average for workers in other industries across the country.

Now in its 50th year, the AIM survey is based on the responses of 458 companies throughout Australia, covering over 300 job roles across a broad range of industries and professions.

The AIM says that the construction and engineering performance is contrary to the general “weakening in demand for labour” across all industries which they forecast will see “sluggish pay increases in the year ahead.”

In addition to staff dissatisfaction with salaries, the AIM says the survey showed the greatest challenges companies are facing include developing effective leaders, engaging and motivating employees and managing poor performance.

“Survey findings showed the average pay increase recorded in the past year (3.6 per cent) was lower than in the previous year (3.9 per cent) and the downward trend is predicted to continue across all States and Territories for the foreseeable future,” says the AIM.

The survey encouraged feedback from both small and large companies and separated them by annual income. Survey results from companies turning over more than $10 million per annum were consolidated in a Large Company Edition of the survey, while results from companies turning over less than this figure formed the Small Company Edition.

This industry news comes following results from a Design Institute of Australia (DIA) annual fees and salary survey which highlighted declining salaries for design professionals.

The survey recorded fees and salaries from architects, design educators, and designers in a range of industries including fashion, textile, graphic, exhibition, interior, furniture and industrial.

The DIA survey results indicate that while the number of designers and design graduates in Australia is growing, the median incomes for self-employed designers and consultancy owners continue to shrink.

Comparing the two surveys shows that salaries within construction and engineering are showing more improvement than those in the architecture and design industry.

Other key findings from the AIM 2014 National Salary Survey:

  • Total resignations increased from last year, up from 11.7 per cent to 12.2 per cent this year.
  • Large companies in Western Australian recorded the highest pay increase by location. They also recorded the greatest decline in average salary movements compared to the 2013 survey down from 5.2 per cent to 4.2 per cent.
  • Companies reported recruitment difficulties were most common when hiring for construction and engineering roles.

The survey can be downloaded here:

#note the above AIM figures are industry averages and do not consider specific job roles. They may not be indicative of the salary increases for the spectrum of job roles within the construction and engineering industry.