Average bonus in IT is $14k: survey

IT recruitment agency Candle found that 25 percent of employees in IT receive cash bonuses – and the average is $13,800.

The survey covered 5,200 professionals working in the IT industry.

The figure represents a six percent drop compared with last year's average of $14,700. People who earn bonuses in excess of $100,000 dropped 12 percent.

Candle managing director Kym Quick told CRN that "21 candidates earned over a hundred grand" in bonuses.

Quick said the fall in the bonus pot was influenced by the higher unemployment rate, which has climbed to 5.7 percent.

“In this climate, people are reluctant to leave secure employment."

According to Quick, project management was "most likely to have a bonus attached to it, or any team-leader role".

The largest bonus totaled $276,000 and was earned by a Sydney-based chief security officer working in financial services. The lowest was $500 paid to an IT manager working in the internet arena who had a Masters degree, but less than one-year experience in the workplace.

Men continued to earn bonuses greater than women by $3,000. Quick recognised this is an improvement over last year's $4,000 disparity.

The largest average gender gap was recorded in the ACT where the average male bonus was $18,000 compared to $6,000 for a female.

The survey also found men grossly outnumber women, who only accounted for 15 percent of the sample.

The number of women in management roles was even smaller. "Of the 5,200 surveyed, 540 people classify themselves as management. And of that only 42 were female," said Quick.

This translates to 7.8 percent of IT managers being female.

"Even though I know it's not inconsistent, the figure still surprised me," Quick said.

The top 10 benefits across Australia

Candle's survey found 44 percent of respondents (2,299) received one or more benefits as a work perk. Following are the most popular benefits offered by employers:

• Mobile phone/mobile allowance: 23.5 percent
• Carpark: 20 percent
• Car and or car allowance: 12.3 percent
• Flexible working hours: 10.9 percent
• Health care subsidies: 7.6 percent
• Extra annual leave: 6.5 percent
• Additional superannuation: 5.9 percent
• Paid Maternity/Paternity Leave: 4 per cent
• Overtime payments: 2.5 percent
• Gym/health club membership: 2.4 percent