Recruiters in the UK received an average pay rise of 3.6% in the last financial year, the highest for three years, according to survey data from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation in partnership with consultancy Croner.

The survey data, which polled 300 recruiters, also found that 40% of consultants and 53% of managers in the recruitment sector received a pay rise in the past year, including one in seven (15%) who received a pay rise of 10% or more.

REC and Croner’s data found that the top three considerations for recruiters when thinking about a change of job are pay, followed by flexible working opportunities and a commitment to invest in their personal development, all of which carry more weight than a generic ‘benefits package’.

REC chief executive Neil Carberry commented on the report, “As with all areas of the labour market at the moment there is increasing competition to secure top talent. The number of members telling us that attracting and retaining staff is a top concern is steadily increasing. This is a great industry to build a career in, but we must always work to ensure that people can see this.”

Flexible working is appreciated by both consultants and managers with more than half of women (53%) and a third of men (33%) working in recruitment having used at least one method of flexible working in the past year whether that was working part-time, compressed hours or working from home. The proportion of recruiters offered benefits such as training days and childcare assistance appears to have increased since the REC’s last salary survey in 2015, a further sign of a growth in family-friendly working practices and non-financial benefits.

“Business owners need to think about what they can offer that makes their agency more attractive to in-demand consultants and managers. While people will always be motivated by pay to some extent, we found various other benefits that recruiters value. Providing flexible work, and training and development opportunities are relatively low-cost ways to make your agency the first choice for talented recruiters,” Carberry said.

The report also found that the mean gender pay gap identified in the REC’s previous survey still persists. Male consultants earn on average 9% more than women and male managers earn 6% more than their female counterparts. The pay gaps increase to 14% and 10% respectively when bonus and commission are included.

“Evidence of a persistent gender pay gap is a real area of concern,” Carberry said. “Reviewing pay and bonus policies to ensure they are gender neutral is absolutely vital, as is ensuring men and women have equal opportunity to grow into more senior roles.”