Earlier this year, we carried out our 2023 salary survey. We’re embarking on our 27th year of business, and it’s been 27 years of placing the very best candidates in the very best positions, building connections with clients, and strengthening relationships all over the world - in restaurants, ski chalets, on yachts, in palaces, and anywhere else you could imagine. We’re very proud of how far we’ve come.
The last few years haven’t exactly been smooth sailing for the service industry - between Brexit, the pandemic, and the cost of living crisis, there’s been hurdle after hurdle, but it seems that brighter days are finally ahead.
In recent years, our salary surveys have served as guides for clients, candidates, and press who are interested in the industry. The key takeaway this year is that salaries have increased almost universally in all sectors - childcare, catering, hospitality - the gardening industry has also seen a considerable amount of growth, owing to the pandemic and the widespread exodus from urban life to the countryside. These rises in salary are also indicative of other influences on the market, such as the rising cost of living, as well as more flexible approaches to recruitment, and the aftermath of Brexit, as there are now fewer available candidates in the market in general.
What’s happening in each sector?
Overall, we’ve seen a positive increase in salaries across the board, but there have been some interesting shifts in specific sectors of the service industry.
Our private households and estates sector has seen significant growth since our last salary survey in 2021 - the majority of positions across the UK have seen an increase of between £5k-£10k. This is largely a reflection of the increased cost of living, and a reflection of the employee market that we are seeing post-brexit and post-pandemic.
We are also seeing a number of new roles appearing - we have even had to add a new position, of Head Gardener, to this year's salary report, as this is something our clients have been increasingly requesting. Many people have been spending more time in rural homes and country estates over the lockdown periods, and the pandemic has also prompted many to swap city life for countryside bliss (a quick check of house prices over the last few months will confirm this). Gardeners, housekeepers, and jobs for couples have all seen significant salary increases.
We’ve also noticed a significant increase in the rise of flexible and part-time positions, as the pandemic prompted lots of people to reconsider their work/life balance - many of our clients have reported needing candidates who can assist them in different areas of a multifaceted lifestyle.
The childcare sector has also seen significant increases in salary, especially outside of London and other major cities. For example, a full time nanny in the home counties would have previously been looking at between 29k - 37k per annum. In our latest survey, this has increased to 40k - 60k per annum. This trend continues all the way up through the midlands, and into the North of England and Scotland. It’s also worth noting that as a globally renowned agency, we’re able to attract the best candidates, even in a ‘candidate's choice’ market, and thanks to our unrivalled database, we can help clients all over the world find the best possible professionals.
We’re also able to report that our international private households' clients have seen salary increases - in the majority of cases, salaries have doubled. For example - in 2021, an international head chef could expect to earn between 40k - 80k. This has increased to an average of 80k - 100k. A travelling PA might have previously earned between 35k and 65k, but are now looking at an average of 55k to 100k. Most positions where frequent travel is required have seen large increases in salary. Travel can still be somewhat complex, in the aftermath of both the pandemic and Brexit, and candidates are being clearly compensated for this.
We invite you to use the data and insights that we’ve gathered as a guide, and we hope you’ll continue to join us as we journey towards new and ever-improving horizons. If you’ve got any questions about the information we’ve gathered, or any questions about anything else, we’d be delighted to hear from you.
For the full salary report, including all the facts, and figures, please click here.