At least 47% of employees are unhappy with their current salaries in India as they cite low increments and unfulfilled expectations, and 77% of professionals anticipate significant salary growth in their industry.
The highest dissatisfaction is among entry level professionals with 0-3 years of experience and interestingly, IT roles made up the largest share of dissatisfaction (26%). Jobs platform foundit in its survey revealed evolving employee perceptions regarding salaries and appraisal expectations. This survey comes at a time when employees across various industries are awaiting their appraisals and IT companies have announced only single digit hikes for its employees.
Over the past three years, 59% of professionals saw only minimal salary growth and this indicates slow wage progression for a majority. Only in select roles there have been significant salary increases and 13% reported no change in salary, and this highlights stagnation for a small segment of the workforce.
When it comes to expectations, 35% of professionals expect only a minimal hike (0–10%), 29% anticipate a moderate growth (11–20%) increment and 14% predict a significant raise (21–30%). Interestingly, employees who are in the early and junior career stages are optimistic about high appraisal as 22% expect a 30% hike. Entry-level professionals remain the most optimistic, with 35% predicting moderate to significant growth, particularly in the IT-Software (20%) and BFSI (17%) sectors.
Strong salary growth expectations are also evident among Engineering & Production (23%) and IT (18%) professionals.
“While optimism remains high across industries, early-career professionals continue to encounter challenges in salary progression. To attract and retain top talent in this dynamic landscape, organisations must prioritise upskilling initiatives, structured career advancement pathways, and competitive compensation strategies,” said V Suresh, CEO of foundit.
Meanwhile, Adecco India has launched its 2025 Salary Guide and said job switchers expect salary hikes of 20-40%. AI & Technology, Financial Services, and Engineering are among the top industries driving salary growth. Flexible work policies and mental well-being are now key priorities for employees. “Career growth, meaningful work, and upskilling opportunities play a larger role in job satisfaction than ever before,” Adecco said.