The year 2024 brings new challenges for HR departments, which play a key role in management, building organizational strategies, and employee engagement. In the era of rising expectations of employees and the dynamic economic situation, salaries in this industry are one of the most important elements determining the success of an organization. The latest report from Grafton Recruitment presents the demand for HR specializations and a detailed analysis of salaries, showing differences between regions and positions, and pointing out the directions of changes that shape the HR labor market.
Demand for Roles
The demand for HR department workers remained stable over the past year, continuing the trend from the previous year. Although the demand for HR roles was growing (0.71%), it was slightly lower than the average for all roles in corporate departments (1.04%) included in the Grafton Recruitment “Salary and Business Trends Report”.
“Companies are investing in development and training to retain the best specialists and prepare them for future challenges. For this reason, the number of job offers in the Learning & Development areas, trainers, and Happiness Managers is increasing. The advancing digitalization of HR processes and the use of AI are revolutionizing recruitment and data analysis, which reduces costs and automates routine tasks. Nevertheless, attracting qualified specialists remains a challenge”, says Aneta Mozyrska, Project Manager and trainer at Grafton Recruitment.
Salary Table
The report reveals that HR directors in Warsaw can expect salaries ranging from 25,000 to 40,000 PLN gross per month, while in cities such as Wrocław or Tri-City, the range starts from 18,000 PLN. HR Business Partners, who are responsible for key organizational processes, earn from 10,000 PLN in Łódź to even 19,000 PLN in Poznań.
“An HR Manager is no longer solely responsible for relationships, welfare, and employee development within an organization. They also need to have the competencies of an analyst, a lawyer, an environmental expert, a PM, to prepare the organization to follow sustainable development requirements and EU directives. The salary increase reflects these changes in competencies,” emphasizes Aneta Mozyrska.
Salary Dynamics in 2024
Year-on-year salary comparisons show that the highest increases related to recruitment and talent management positions. The salaries of recruitment and training specialists increased by 10.5%, and Talent Sourcers by 10%. Recruitment and employer branding specialists recorded a salary increase of 9.6%.
Pay raises also covered analytical and administrative positions – HR analysts gained an average of 8.9%, and payroll specialists 8.2%. However, surprising decreases – by 6.1%, were recorded for HR specialists, which may result from organizations shifting their attention to more specialized roles, such as employer branding or recruitment.
“The HR departments are transforming into strategic decision centers. Salary increases in the area of recruitment and employer branding show how important attracting top talent has become. At the same time, moderate rises in managerial positions suggest that companies emphasize long-term process management and building a sustainable work environment,” comments Ewa Michalska, Operations Director at Grafton Recruitment.
Salaries in HR departments are evolving along with the growing importance of this function in organizational strategies. Dynamic wage increases in the areas of recruitment and employer branding emphasize the importance of building an employer’s image and attracting talent. At the same time, challenges related to regional wage differences and declines in some areas indicate the need for further optimization of wages policies.
About the Report
The Grafton Recruitment report was developed based on a wide spectrum of market data and its own analysis. The data concerns wages for 2024 and forecasts for the beginning of 2025, and was collected based on actual offers presented to candidates by Grafton Recruitment clients and the wages of recruitment process participants. The analysis covered 499,791 unique job advertisements, which were deduplicated to increase accuracy. Additionally, data from one of the largest job advertisement portals in Poland, covering 2019-2024, was used. The report is a result of comprehensive research, which allows for an accurate reflection of the actual situation in the labor market.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/wynagrodzenia-w-dzialach-hr-w-2024-kluczowe-trendy-i-zapotrzebowanie-na-specjalizacje-60853
