With lasting inflation and a tight job market, HR departments are now faced with the risk of inconsistency in their remuneration policy and in particular in salary scales, originally a guarantee of fair recognition of work and commitment. employees. “Am I paid as well as my office colleague? and “What would I gain by taking responsibility?” » are questions to which the company must be able to provide satisfactory answers, thanks to these remuneration matrices that are the grids.
“A balanced salary scale, with a sufficient number of steps, allows everyone to position themselves within the company and to project themselves, explains Marc Grosser, partner of the consulting firm RH Topics. On this basis, the company can also better identify inequalities and better negotiate with social partners. » The tool defines families of professions, levels of qualification and responsibility, associated with a median salary, generally established according to a “benchmark”, a standard on the market. The smallest companies are based on the minima decided by their professional branch.
But the coherence of these salary grids has been undermined for months by two violent currents: on the one hand, high inflation – + 5.9% in one year –, leading to successive increases in the minimum wage; and on the other hand, the exceptional salaries reserved for hiring the most sought-after profiles in a tight job market. Shortage professions are increasingly diverse – from tech and digital to logistics specialists or catering professions.
“A double grid”
“Today, digital specialists can obtain 10% to 15% more than the average employee, with equivalent qualifications and experience, and even more if recruitment is urgent.observes Cyrille Bellanger, director of compensation consulting at Mercer. Some companies have had to establish an additional grid for these profiles, or even for young graduates in general; they have also integrated bonuses, many of which are almost systematically granted, into the base salary to improve it. »
Franck Chéron, a partner at the Deloitte firm, has also noticed for two years a vast reflection on the salary scales of the companies he accompanies, some recreate one, others integrate new classifications or develop a parallel grid. “An unsuitable grid leads to the multiplication of exceptional cases”recalls Claire Morel, director of Syndex, which advises union delegates and social and economic committees.
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