The results of the survey on civil service pay trends were released. After deducting the incremental salary, the net pay trend indicators were 7.26% for high-level civil servants, 4.55% for middle-level officials, and 2.04% for low-level officials.
Civil servants are expected to increase their salaries during the "epidemic" situation. Many civil servant organizations are surprised, and even question the fact that the investigation is not comprehensive and objective, especially for senior civil servants.
Hong Kong is still affected by the epidemic in the past year, and many industries have suffered severe setbacks. The public servant organization originally expected poor salary survey data, and proposed to suspend the survey and freeze salary, but this time the salary trend indicator has recorded a positive number. What is the reason?
Investigating that the impact of the epidemic in industries such as finance and telecommunications is relatively light
The results of the survey on civil service salary trends show that low-level civil servants have a salary increase of 3.2%, middle-level 5.58%, and high-level 8.3%; after deducting the average salary increment expenditure, the net salary increase index of civil servants is 2.04% for low-level, 4.55% for middle-level, and 7.26% for high-level %.
According to the usual practice, the increase rate of low-level civil servants will be "matched" with that of the middle-level. If the survey results are single-count, the middle-level and low-level will also increase by 4.55%.
There are three main reasons for such a salary increase under the epidemic.
First, a total of 111 companies participated in the survey, including 83 larger companies (with 100 or more employees) and 28 smaller companies (with 50 to 99 employees). Be regarded as a representative and generally sound employer in your industry.
However, the results of the survey often depend on the scope of the survey. Li Kuiyan, president of the Chinese Association, pointed out that some companies such as retail and catering have been hit by the epidemic, but finance and telecommunications have little impact. The situation in each industry itself is very difficult. different.
She said that the current survey covers private companies such as finance, insurance, telecommunications and public utilities, but it did not take into account the unemployment, underemployment and layoffs in some industries. Therefore, the data obtained are good, but they are of reference value. Not much.
Immigrant tide and epidemic prevention restrict corporate executives from retaining people with high salaries
The salary trend survey this time not only recorded a positive number, but the most surprising thing is that the increase of high-level civil servants reached 7.26%. Human resources consultant Zhou Qiping described the survey results as amazing and out of touch with the reality of the market.
She pointed out that in the past years when the economy was very prosperous in Hong Kong, the salary increase was only 4 to 5% at most, and she believed that the figures could not reflect the situation of the fifth wave of the epidemic, such as salary freezing, layoffs, and unpaid leave of employees.
However, in recent years, there has been a wave of immigration in Hong Kong, and strict anti-epidemic policies have also reduced the willingness of talents to stay in Hong Kong. Many companies have to raise wages to keep people.
Li Luanhui, chairman of the Salary Trend Investigation Committee, said that many companies decided to raise wages before the Lunar New Year. He believes that the turnover of senior executives in private companies may have increased in the past year, and companies need to keep people, so private companies are willing to pay more bonuses.
Liang Choting, director-general of the Federation of Civil Servants' Unions, said the survey showed that the brain drain from the private market was very serious last year, especially for middle- and senior-level personnel.
﹙File photo/Photo by Liang Pengwei﹚
Civil servants have frozen their salaries for two years, raised their salaries to chase inflation
Third, after the salary increase of civil servants in 2019, salaries have been frozen for two consecutive years, and inflation has indeed occurred in these two years.
According to data from the Census and Statistics Department, the Composite Consumer Price Index was 98.4 in March 2019 and 103.3 in March 2022, an increase of 4.98% during the period.
After deducting the government's one-off relief measures, the composite consumer price index in March 2019 was 99.7 and in March 2022 it was 104.9, an increase of 5.22% during the period.
Some of the above-mentioned companies that are less affected by the epidemic have indeed raised their wages in the past two years. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to raise wages for civil servants to recover inflation based on the inflation level.
When the government considers civil service pay adjustment, the net pay trend indicator is one of the six major factors. It also takes into account the economic situation of Hong Kong, the government's financial situation, changes in the cost of living, the salary adjustment requirements of the staff, and the morale of the civil servants.
Li Kuiyan: I don't want civil servants' salary increase to become a social differentiation factor
In fact, the performance of civil servants has been controversial in recent years. For example, in the early stage of the epidemic, many pro-establishment members criticized the civil servants for not being on the front line to fight the epidemic. Some people questioned why the civil servants did not "get through the difficult times" with the public when they were "stopping their hands" in the face of the epidemic. ?
On this sensitive issue, the establishment faction who criticized civil servants from time to time in the past responded from the "big picture", saying that many organizations would follow the government to raise their salaries, which could boost morale and so on.
Lee Kwai-yan also pointed out that he hopes that the salary adjustment will help civil servants catch up with inflation, but he also wants to show that he is with the whole society to tide over the difficulties and does not want the salary adjustment of civil servants to become a factor of social differentiation.
Tang Jiahua.
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Tang Jiahua agrees that the reasonable salary increase is expected to be adjusted for high-level executives
Executive Council member Tong Jiahua believes that civil servants' salaries have been frozen for a period of time, and it is reasonable to make adjustments this year.
He believes that it is not a big problem for people in the middle and lower classes to only recover inflation, while senior civil servants may need to take greater social responsibilities, and the final adjustment level may be in line with that of the middle and lower classes.
Tang Jiahua said that there was precedent in the past that the final salary increase of senior civil servants will be adjusted, which is in line with the middle and lower ranks, and may not necessarily follow the salary trend indicators.
He pointed out that when the government considers the adjustment range, it will also consider other factors, and he believes that a satisfactory result will be reached in the end.
Some members of the guild pointed out that the figures obtained this time are on the high side, which does not seem to be in line with the socio-economic environment of the past year.
He agrees that the civil servants have actively participated in the anti-epidemic work, and there has been no increase in labor in the past two years. A moderate adjustment of salaries will help stabilize morale. There are adjustments.
According to the procedure, the Salary Trend Investigation Committee will meet on the 25th of this month to review and consider confirming the results of the investigation, and then submit it to the government for finalization by the Chief Executive in Council.
The salary trend survey released net indicators ranging from 2.04% to 7.26%. All civil servants are expected to increase their salaries. Civil servants are expected to increase their salaries. Qijia He Junyao: Value for money
