A recent survey has uncovered a growing wave of dissatisfaction among Indian professionals regarding their salary growth and career prospects. The survey by job platform foundit revealed that nearly half (47%) of employees are unhappy with their salary hikes, while 25% remain on the fence, neither content nor discontent. The biggest culprits behind this frustration? Meager salary increments, unfulfilling jobs and unfulfilled career expectations — factors that are leaving many professionals questioning their future in the workforce.
Lack of salary awareness major concern
One of the most surprising findings of the survey was that 14% of employees were unaware of industry salary benchmarks for their respective fields. This lack of awareness, experts say, may contribute to professionals accepting lower salaries than they deserve.
The survey highlighted distinct trends in salary satisfaction across various experience levels. Entry-level professionals (0-3 years) faced the highest uncertainty, with 51% unaware of industry salary benchmarks and 31% feeling underpaid. As professionals gained experience, dissatisfaction gradually declined.
Among junior-level employees (4-6 years), salary dissatisfaction dropped to 26%, thanks to improved pay transparency, with IT-Software professionals reporting the highest satisfaction at 34%. Moving into mid-career roles (7-10 years), the dissatisfaction rate further fell to 18%, with 22% of professionals believing their salaries exceeded industry standards.
At the senior and executive level (11+ years), only 18% considered their earnings above industry benchmarks, reflecting a more stabilised outlook on salary expectations.
Industry-specific trends
The survey found that IT professionals experienced the highest dissatisfaction (26%), whereas Engineering and Production (18%) and IT-Software (14%) reported the highest satisfaction levels. The neutrality of a quarter of respondents suggested a wide range of perspectives on salary growth.
Slow salary growth over the years
The survey also shed light on the sluggish pace of salary growth in recent years. A majority of professionals (59%) reported only minor salary increases over the past three years, reflecting slow wage progression across industries. Meanwhile, 28% of employees experienced substantial salary hikes, suggesting that strong growth was limited to select roles and sectors.
On the other hand, 13% of professionals saw no change in their salaries, highlighting stagnation for a small but notable portion of the workforce.
What drives salary growth?
The survey suggested that acquiring in-demand skills plays a crucial role in salary growth. 35% of professionals believe that specialised skills contribute significantly to higher earnings. As industries evolve, professionals who invest in upskilling and learning new technologies are expected to see stronger salary growth and better job prospects.