8 out of 10 companies will apply salary increase, but with less rise than in 2024: in what months is there greater adjustment?

8 out of 10 companies plans to apply a salary increase to an average of 5.7% for this year, according to the survey of Salary projections of Ey Peru. This implies a reduction of six percentage points if we compare it with the result of last year, when companies of the Peruvian market They applied an average increase of 6.3%.

In the opinion of Alejandra Osorio, leader of human capital of the work area People Advisory Services of Ey Peru, it is a stabilization according to the future of the Peruvian economy (closed 2024 by 3.3%) and a inflation Low (it closed by 1.9%). “Prior to pandemicthe levels of salary increases on average were between 5% and 6%, but this was distorted a bit from inflation peaks, “he explained.

Recall that the average monthly income at the end of 2024, only in Lima, was located in S/2,035, reflecting a growth of 17% in front of the pre -candid. However, according to the analysis of the laborist Fernando Cuadros, considering inflation, a real fall of income was evidenced rather in terms of purchasing power. “On average, workers’ income in Lima buy 9% less goods and services than in 2019,” he calculated.

Regarding the recent statement of the new Minister of Economy José Salardi that the Peruvian economy It will grow no longer 3.1%, but 4.0% for this year, Osorio said that the survey could be carried out again and the estimate of the salary increases It would be maintained, since there is a budget for organizations. In addition, as he warns, the political context of electionsin which companies have to be restrained in the presentation of their financial item.

“That there is an individually rise for each collaborator could be, but in a total it is already defined as a budget for the organization,” added the executive of EY.

Salary increase by sectors and charges

The study also reveals that the Salary increase higher (5.8%) will have those who assume positions of average controls and technicians/operators, follow professionals and auxiliaries (5.6%) and on the other shore, senior executives will experience lower growth (5.5%).

For this year, the highest salary increase is projected in companies in the technology and communications sector with 6.5%. This occurs, according to the specialist, because the companies They are entering a digital transformation process, where They require digital talent To meet your goals. “There is that war for digital talent that forces technology companies to be much more competitive in their salary“He said.

The list of sectors follows Financial services (which includes banking and insurance) and Agroindustrial with 6.4%. Below is the sector industrial and services (5.8%), logistics (5.5%), construction and real estate (5.4%) and finally Mining and Educational Services with an increase of just 5%.

The merit, which rewards individual or collective performance, is consolidated as the main engine of salary increases (39%), followed by the combination of merit and inflation (22%), which seeks to maintain purchasing power against economic conditions.

Another causal factor of the salary increase is by collective agreement that is agreed between representatives of workers and employers. “The unions and companies negotiate an increase that is fixed. In 2024, the average was 3.1%,” he said.

In 2024, 55% of the companies that earned less than US $ 10 million applied a salary increase, while those that invoiced more than US $ 500 million reached 83% of companies. “A clear trend is that as the volume of sales of companies increases, it also increases the probability of applying salary increases,” he said.

Months of greatest salary increase

Of all the companies surveyed, it is highlighted that April is the most commonly chosen month to apply salary increases. It follows March, January and May. The worst month in which a salary increase is applied is in December and September, where only 1% of companies apply it.

“When companies have paid UtilitiesCts and have their budget Fully closed, they have much more clarity about what is coming. That is why in the first four -month period it is where most are focusing on a salary increase. This dynamic is maintained by 2025, “he said.

Five years have passed since the beginning of the pandemia and the modality of hybrid work (face -to -face and remote) that adopted the Companies It remains to date. Thus, in 63% of companies the face -to -face mode predominates and 36% maintains the hybrid modality, while only 1% of companies maintain virtual work exclusively.

For this year, according to the study, 99% of companies surveyed will maintain the work modality carried out in 2024. The Financial sector It is the one that leads the hybrid mode (77%), follows mass consumption with 63%and technology and communications with 59%.