Many companies in the U.S. and Canada are willing to pay a premium as they recruit new talent in the finance field, according to surveys conducted by staffing firm Robert Half.
In the U.S., 54% of CFOs surveyed reported offering more money for new hires, with an average pay increase of 10%, and 36% offered the same amount. Moreover, 68% said starting pay was more than the amount offered two years ago.
In Canada, 72% of CFOs reported that new hires in the past year were given more money than their previous employer paid, with the average increase being 5%.
While the surveys deal only with new hires, the rise in starting salaries shows companies are concerned about recruiting and retaining employees, according to the Journal of Accountancy.
“The issues right now are worker and talent shortages in many industries,” Leo Abruzzese, the global director of public policy at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said Thursday during a quarterly webcast hosted by KPMG’s Audit Committee Institute and the National Association of Corporate Directors.
In an earlier survey, 80% of U.S. CFOs said they were taking steps to improve employee retention, and 89% of finance leaders in Australia and New Zealand were worried about losing top employees.