That’s the lesson from a new monthly report from Office Angels, which is measuring average salaries across the permanent and temporary market for administrative and non-professional services roles.
According to the report, PAs and office managers enjoy the highest average annual salaries for permanent positions (£29,490 and £29,568 respectively). These roles also led the annual increases in average salaries (up 4.42% and 3.49% respectively). In contrast, receptionists have one of the lowest average salaries across permanent roles (£17,208). In May, customer service roles recorded the greatest annual falls in average salaries (down 6.41%).
In the temporary market, it’s office managers who currently command the highest hourly rate (an average of £17 per hour), followed by PAs (averaging £12 per hour). At the opposite end of the scale, receptionists earned the lowest hourly rate (£7 per hour) in May.
‘Despite the current climate, we’ve seen a continued demand for PA roles, particularly in London,’ says David Clubb, MD of Office Angels. ‘While the average salaries may prove a surprise for some, the duties of today’s PA extend far beyond a secretarial role and the salaries that are being commanded reflect this.
‘We’re increasingly seeing applications for PA roles from those with a university degree or considerable business experience, and this is a trend we expect to see continue. A PA will often find themselves covering elements of HR, marketing and project management, offering candidates a varied and challenging career choice. High-flying executive assistants can command up to £45,000 and, in certain sectors, particularly in areas such as banking and financial services, which are typically found in London, the most experienced PAs can earn up to £60,000.’