Belgian employees are far from fully satisfied with their pay, according to a new salary survey relayed by De Morgen.
Employers themselves also appear unconvinced by the wages they offer, with both sides believing better opportunities may exist elsewhere.
The annual study, conducted by HR services company Acerta together with KU Leuven, surveyed more than 2,000 employees and over 600 employers across Belgium.
Workers gave their current salaries an average score of 6.7 out of 10 when comparing them with what they think they could earn elsewhere. Employers rated their own pay policies only slightly higher, at 6.8 out of 10, compared with competitors.
According to Charlotte Thijs, compensation expert at Acerta, economic uncertainty and inflation are fuelling dissatisfaction. “Daily life is becoming more expensive while wages only follow inflation after a delay, usually once a year,” she said in comments reported by De Morgen.
Small-company workers feel disadvantaged
The survey suggests employees at smaller companies are particularly critical of their salaries. According to Thijs, some may believe larger companies are able to offer more attractive pay packages and benefits.
Despite this, salary is not the main factor determining whether workers stay with or leave an employer. Work-life balance and job security remain the top priorities for Belgian employees, ahead of pure financial compensation.
Employees want performance rewarded
The study also found broad agreement between employers and employees on how wages should evolve in the future.
Both groups believe individual competencies and performance should play a greater role in determining salaries. Employees were even more supportive of this idea than employers themselves.
More than half of workers surveyed (55.2%) believe pay should be linked more closely to skills and competencies, while 52.8% want stronger recognition for performance.
However, opinions diverge sharply when it comes to seniority. Nearly 44.4% of employees believe years of service should once again become a more decisive factor in salary calculations. Among employers, only 11.1% agree.
“The right compensation is always about balance,” Thijs said. “Employers look at what is financially feasible, while employees want their contribution to be rewarded fairly.”
Year-end bonuses and meal vouchers still popular
Beyond wages themselves, the survey also examined which extra-legal benefits remain most attractive to workers.
Traditional perks continue to dominate. Year-end bonuses are the most valued benefit, cited by 68.3% of respondents, followed by meal vouchers at 49%.
Hospitalisation insurance was considered important by 33.6% of employees, while 21.2% highlighted group insurance schemes. Extra holidays, media vouchers and pension savings plans also ranked highly.
