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The highest salary? A developer and a consultant
 
Hospodárske noviny | 11 June 2009 | Column: The best salaries in the SR | Page: 17 | Author: Dušan Uhrin

In return for above-standard evaluation, an employer expects high productivity and loyalty to the company. However, the crisis can put the loyalty to a test  

Bratislava – If you worked with companies dealing with real estate development or provision of services, such as audit and consultancy, last year, your gross salary would reach over treble the Slovak average. Above-standard salaries were paid to people working in telecommunications, banks and insurance companies, and some offices. 

On the contrary, gross salary below the level of EUR 777 was paid e.g. to the employees of some public institutions, transportation companies, production companies or supermarkets. These are the findings of an exclusive survey conducted by Hospodárske noviny, focusing on average gross monthly salary in companies and offices in Slovakia in 2008.

Real estates and services
In the previous year, the highest salaries were paid to the employees of HB Reavis and KPMG Slovensko. In the two companies, an average gross salary amounted to EUR 2,300. TOP five companies also included Škoda Auto Slovensko with a gross salary of EUR 2,198, Incheba Expo Bratislava with EUR 2,206 or Deposit Protection Fund with EUR 2,276. The best paying employers have also included mobile operators and financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies.

With only minor exceptions, leading companies only employ several tens of people, in particular first class employees who are a great asset to the company. The services such as cleaning, maintenance and so on are usually provided by other companies, and this fact is also among the reasons why they are at the head of the list of average gross salary.

Though in the West the disclosure of data on gross salary is a commonplace, in Slovakia it is still considered company´s sensitive and internal affair. The release of these data usually indicates company´s openness and transparency. Many enterprises in Slovakia publish regular annual reports including these data. Some companies have not taken part in the survey because they do not have the reports published. Nevertheless, there are many companies in Slovakia that publish the amounts of their salaries. Many of them are proud of belonging to the elite.

They value the quality
The KPMG Slovensko belongs to the so-called Big Four; it provides services, such as audit and consultancy. “We belong among the top employers because we want to belong there and I believe we belong there deservedly,” says company´s managing partner, Ľuboš Vančo. In his opinion, their employees are the very best. In return, the company expects high working engagement, constructive thinking and ability to work as a team member.

The development company HB Reavis Slovakia also values human capital highly. “In return for above-standard salaries we expect above-standard performance and especially an above-standard determination to take active part in company´s success,” explains Group Marketing Director, Roman Karabelli.

A positive relation to the company, built through the creation of good working conditions, is crucial also for one of the most significant car sellers in Slovakia, Škoda Auto Slovensko. “We work on the philosophy that high quality employees create integral part of every successful company. High working engagement is a commonplace,” states company´s statutory representative, Robert Baumgartner.

The fact that a salary is an important factor of employees´ motivation is well known also to the company Incheba. Its priority business consists in the rental of premises. According to company´s spokeswoman, Martina Štofaníková, important part of employees´ salary is created by rewards and bonuses.

The crisis caught up with them
Though the above mentioned companies are trying to create as good working conditions for their employees as possible, they have not avoided current economic crisis. The companies dealing in real estates, cars, rental or consultancy services realise that it is necessary to take some steps; however, in their words, there have not been any larger redundancy yet.

For instance, KPMG has temporarily reduced salaries by 20 per cent and shortened a working week since April. According to HB Reavis, this can be considered a test of employees´ loyalty. “A good employee should stand behind his/her team in both good and worse times,” concludes Karabelli.

TOP five employers with the highest gross monthly salary in 2008 (in EUR)

1. HB REAVIS SLOVAKIA
2. KPMG SLOVENSKO 
3. FOND OCHRANY VKLADOV / DEPOSIT PROTECTION FUND
4. INCHEBA EXPO BRATISLAVA
5. ŠKODA AUTO SLOVENSKO

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About an author | Dušan Uhrin, dusan.uhrin@ecopress.sk