Workers getting more

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday February 20th, 2014

 By MALUM NALU

WAGES in Papua New Guinea have risen consistently over the last five years because of pressure from the LNG project, it has been revealed.

Concept Group managing director, Brendan Coombs said this yesterday when presenting findings from the 2013 BHC and Hay Group Paynet Remuneration Survey at a Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry breakfast.

“There’s been an increase in base salary consistently over the last five years,” he told participants who were mainly from the human resource sector.

“Total annual reward, which used to be called total remuneration, is made up of pretty much everything a person can earn. This include, base salary, housing, motor vehicle, education, air fares, bonuses, whatever else there might be.

“It’s actually increased more for the last few years. 

“What’s that telling us is that people are making more use of the flexibility that you can give employees to get the most out of their package.

“There’s an increase in packaging. 

“Total annual reward has gone up by 8.7% in 2013.

“Last year there was a substantial increase in base salary. 

“People are getting more in their packages. 

“It might be housing, it might be education, whatever,” he said.

Coombs said five years ago, there wasn’t much competitive pressure from the LNG project, and people were pitching their salaries at much higher level. He said that have changed.

“There’s definitely been a move towards the middle people,” he said.