An overwhelming majority of HR professionals are resentful that their partners are not earning enough, according to a new study.
More than 80% of men and 75% of women working in HR wanted their partner’s pay packet to be bigger, the survey of 250 professionals by consultancy Hudson found.
Only a small number of HR professionals seemed unconcerned about what their partner earned – 3.2% said they never thought about it. But some men still thought they should be the breadwinners in the household – one in 10 said they wished their partner earned less.
The survey suggests that HR practitioners believe in the perception that pay in the profession is lagging behind other sectors – although recent research found that this was not the case, with the average salary for an HR manager now topping £43,000.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
Hudson said the study shed light on the pressure many employees suffer at home to move to a better-paid job, potentially at the cost of other important factors that contribute to job satisfaction.
Associate director Anthony Pierce said: “It’s natural to be concerned about money, particularly in the current economic climate. However, most HR professionals would readily admit there is much more to job satisfaction than their salary.”
