Big salary gaps in Indian communications: Freshers start low, women hit glass ceiling

Is a career in communications worth it? Salary discrepancies might make you think twice.

By  Indrani BoseAug 9, 2024 8:17 AM
Big salary gaps in Indian communications: Freshers start low, women hit glass ceiling
The Indian communications industry is marked by significant salary disparities, evident in the wide chasm between MNCs and startups, as well as the sectoral disparity with BFSI and tech leading the way. (Image source: Moneycontrol)

The 2024 Indian Communicators Group (ICG) Salary Survey Report states that the starting salaries for in-house comms roles for freshers is typically around Rs 5.3 lakh-5.8 lakh per annum, though data shows that it can be as low as Rs 3.5 lakh per annum.

“Despite the fact that corporate communications has been a rapidly expanding field in India for a number of decades, the lack of industry benchmarks and the stark differences in pay for these specialists have been painful and frustrating. It is our aim that the study's findings will empower in-house PR and communications professionals to make more informed decisions about their career paths and to voice for the recognition and fair compensation they so well deserve,” said Tinu Cherian Abraham, ICG Admin, and Director and Head – Global PR & Media Relations, UST.

The lowest salary in the BFSI sector between 0 – 3 years was less than Rs 5 lakh while in the technology sector it was between Rs 7.5 lakh - Rs 10 lakh per annum. The highest salaries for BFSI and technology were both upwards of Rs 1.5 crore.

In the Automotive/Transportation/Airlines sector, the lowest salary was between Rs 17.5 lakh to Rs 20 lakh while the highest was Rs 75 lakh - Rs 1crore. In the retail sector, for 4-7 years, the lowest salary stood between Rs 10 lakh - Rs 12.5 lakh and the highest was recorded to be between Rs 50 lakh - Rs 75 lakh.

The report also highlighted salary ranges in the medical & life sciences industry; the lowest was between Rs 5 lakh - Rs 7.5 lakh for 4-7 years of work experience and the highest was Rs 2.5 crore for 25 years. In the Manufacturing/Engineering/Utilities sectors, the lowest salary highlighted was Rs 7.18 lakh for 4-7 years of work experience while the highest was Rs 78 lakh for over 25 years of experience.

The size and type of organisation had an impact on the salaries. Predictably, salaries were higher in MNCs and Conglomerates. Private companies had the lowest salaries and start-ups were only marginally better.

The lowest salary for MNCs between 0-3 years was Rs 7.5 lakh - Rs 10 lakh while the highest was recorded to be Rs 2.15 crore. For private companies, the range stood out to be less than Rs 5 lakh while the highest number was upwards of Rs 1.5. crore. For conglomerates, Rs 5 lakh - Rs 7.5 lakh was the standard for 4-7 years while Rs 3 crore was the standard for over 25 years. If you consider start-ups, the salary recorded for 4-7 years was Rs 7.5 lakh - Rs 10 lakh while it was Rs 75 lakh - Rs 1 crore for over 25 years.

As per data, start-ups tend to have lower starting salaries but scale up higher with experience, while private companies start higher but scale slowly, especially at higher experience levels. The slow and steady MNCs win the race and the Conglomerates tend to pay well to retain talent.

Not all sectors welcome freshers for in-house roles. Data suggests that, on an average, respondents work for 4.78 years in other communications roles before transitioning to in-house positions. Majority of respondents believe agency salaries fall way below in-house salaries for similar roles.

59 percent said in-house salaries were higher, close to 42 percent respondents in early to mid-career(4-20 years) attested that agency salaries can be quite competitive, but this number falls after that. At either end of the experience spectrum — freshers (0-3) at 64% and 25+ at 65 percent — favoured in-house roles indicating fewer agency opportunities for both freshers and senior professionals alike.

Journalists steal the spotlight?

Also, journalists are increasingly being favoured for high-profile communication roles, while professionals from agencies find it challenging to land comms roles without at least 7-8 years of experience. "Journalists from national publications are preferred for public affairs roles. There are not many opportunities in the communications industry. Adding to this, any day a journalist will get preference over an agency folk or someone in the corporate sector. Journalists also get paid much better for the comms role, which was one of the key findings from our Salary Survey. This trend creates competition for agency professionals and those in the corporate sector," says Shashank Bharadwaj, Founder & Managing Partner - WebX Integrated Marketing Solutions and CommsJobs.in.

Economic instability, industry shifts, and evolving job descriptions seem to be accelerating this trend.

"Today, it’s all about cross-functional experience. There is a huge demand for roles focused on “people and culture,” which combine internal communications, Diversity and Inclusion and HR. Another role that is really in demand is public affairs. Due to the changing dynamics in government, politics, and geopolitical situations, journalists are increasingly preferred for this role. There is also an increasing preference for journalists for the role of a content director which is further contributing to this trend," says Bharadwaj.

Bharadwaj also explains that political instability, frequent mergers and acquisitions, duplication of talent and declining employee morale are playing a role in today's communications landscape. He points out that currently the emergence of "chance communication" seems to be on the rise; it's about managing unexpected crises situations such as layoffs, and mergers.

Corporate communication roles are decreasing; avenues are increasing,

"Consulting firms like Deloitte, KPMG, and EY seem to be key players in the space. "They offer roles to employees, often ensuring the latter is placed at the client site," Bhardwaj shares.

Bharadwaj highlights that while Gen Z and millennials are adaptable to upskilling; only a handful of people with 20-25 years’ experience who are getting really good pay often find themselves in stagnant opportunities with limited growth.

However, while corporate communication roles are decreasing, avenues are increasing. The blurring lines between PR, marketing, and communications are leading to a convergence and creating new roles. The emerging roles include Change Communications, ESG Communications, Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Communications, and Public Affairs and Government Relations Specialist. Upskilling and internal role switching are critical for those in early to mid-level roles to future proof their careers, according to him.

It becomes all the more challenging for a woman.

Not all is rosy for senior women professionals in Communications. Only 9 out of 100 men have a 20+ years experience compared to 11 out of ever 100 women. However, as absolute numbers fall, the 9% of total men ends up being more than 11% of total women.

The glass ceiling

Nanda Padmanabhan, Head - Corporate Communications, BankBazaar argues that while there has been progress in women entering the workforce, fundamental societal and economic factors continue to limit their career trajectory and aspirations. She highlights the disproportionate burden of caregiving falling on women and explains that lack of supportive policies intensifies this issue, as caregiving is often ongoing and prevents women from building essential professional networks.

Consequently, women face challenges in career advancement, particularly in securing higher-paying roles and changing jobs. Despite increased female workforce participation, systemic barriers persist, including gender pay gaps and unconscious biases in decision-making, making it difficult for women to get past the roadblocks and climb the ladder.

The percentage of women in Communications increases from 69 percent among the freshers to peak at 71 percent at the 8-10 years’ experience level, or just when one hits mid-level. From then, it is a steep fall to 60 percent over the next 10 years’ experience. Only 54 percent make it beyond 20 years. By the time you reach work experience of 25 years or more, there are fewer women than men in the workforce in both absolute and relative terms. From 60 percent women with 16 to 20 years’ experience, the number dips to 42 percent women with experience of 25 years or more.

Only 72 percent women lead Communications initiatives reporting to the CEO, Marketing, or Strategy head compared to 85 percent men. Broadly, the fact remains that from being nearly three out of four Communications people at the beginning of their careers, not even one out of two senior Communications professionals are women and even fewer are function heads.

First Published on Aug 9, 2024 8:17 AM

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