Salary hikes of 13-19 per cent for select talent in pharma: Kelly Services

Hikes during job shifts could touch 30 per cent for certain skill sets

According to data from Kelly Services, certain skills sets within sectors will see attractive percentage hikes in this year’s appraisals. For instance, within the pharma and healthcare vertical, talent in demand would include professionals in early biology research and toxicology, analytical development scientists, biostatisticians and product development professionals. They can expect a hike of 13-19 per cent this appraisal cycle.

For comparison, Kelly Services predicts that talent could see average appraisals of 18-20 per cent across e-commerce firms, both travel and non travel. Critical skills and good performers in product development, strategy, alliances and sales and marketing can also expect 20-25 per cent hikes

Reviewing key workforce trends this year across sectors, Kamal Karanth, MD, Kelly Services & KellyOCG India, said companies would focus on flexibility and automation to ensure process efficiency, better turnaround time and to mitigate costs. There will be more emphasis on going digital, with companies increasingly hiring dedicated digital talent and developing their own digital strategies to keep up with fast-changing technologies and business needs.

Within the pharma sector, besides the skill profiles mentioned above, Kelly Services sees candidates in the areas of Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and Environment, Occupational, Health and Safety (EOHS) to be in demand because of the niche skills they possess and general unavailability of good talent. Senior candidates in Supply Chain and R&D (New Product Development) also are in demand. These are skills that can fetch hikes of 30-35 per cent while shifting jobs.

As far as locations go, Hyderabad tops the list, contributing as much as 30 per cent of the jobs in pharma, life sciences and medical devices and agro. Bangalore and Mumbai follow at 25 per cent, followed by Ahmedabad (10 per cent) and trailed by Pune (five per cent) besides other locations.

Employees in pharma companies in the Rs 5-10 lakhs bracket can expect salary hikes of is 11-16 per cent within the current organisation but this could jump to 30-35 per cent while shifting jobs. Similarly, 10 per cent is the average hike in the same organisation for employees in the Rs 10-20 lakhs and above Rs 20 lakhs brackets, where as they could expect a 25 per cent hike while shifting jobs.

EP News Bureau – Mumbai