According to the Office for National Statistics, HR managers and directors working in London and South of England work longer hours than those in other regions.
According to an analysis by the HR and payroll software company Ciphr, there is a large regional pay gap. HR professionals in London earn on average 35.38 PS per hour compared with 23.37 PS in Wales.
The study found that there is a 51 percent disparity in pay between the highest-paid and lowest paid HR directors and managers. This includes roles such as recruitment, learning and growth, diversity and inclusion, and rewards. HR leaders in the Southeast, Southwest and Yorkshire & The Humber earn more than the UK average with their mean hourly wage.
Regional Pay Disparities among HR
London is the region that pays the most for HR directors and managers, followed by the Southeast (33.33% per hour) as well as the Southwest (31.40% per hour). East of England (PS29.60 an hour) and North West (PS28.90 an hour) offer salaries that are above average.
HR leaders in London, and those working in the Southeast, work the longest hours despite earning more. In London, the average full-time manager clocks 37.4 hour per week or approximately 1,945 hours a year. This figure increases slightly in the Southeast to 37.5 hours per week. It is the region where HR professionals work the most hours.
Scotland, on the other hand, has the shortest working week average for HR managers and Directors, at 36.1 hours a week or 1,877 hours a year.
Salary for other HR roles varies by region
Regional pay variations are also experienced by HR professionals of all levels. Ciphr research shows that HR and industrial relation officers in London have the highest salaries, earning an average of PS20.91 per hour, which equates to a salary of approximately PS40,775 annually for a 37,5-hour workweek. Scotland (PS18.93 an hour) and East Midlands(PS18.73 an hour) are next in line for the highest paying regions. Both of these regions pay above the national average (PS18.41 or PS35.900) per hour.
Claire Williams, Ciphr’s chief people and operational officer, said, “These ONS data are very useful for getting a better idea of what HR roles similar to yours are paid across the country.” As with any job however, salaries can vary greatly depending on factors such as the type and size of the organisation in which someone works, their level of seniority, their skillset and the important functions they perform. “Any salary benchmarking should also consider the cost of living, or the level of affordability in relation to wages across different UK regions.
London’s HR administrators also earn more per hour than their counterparts in other parts in the UK. Their average wage is PS16.20 per hour, as opposed to the UK average of PS14.95.
