IT workers lose out on bonuses

A quarter of Australia's IT workers take home cash bonuses of an average $13,800, research by IT recruitment agency Candle suggests.

Managing director Kym Quick

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.

The survey covered 5200 professionals working in the IT industry.

Candle managing director Kym Quick said 21 candidates earned over $100,000 in bonuses.

He said the fall in the bonus pot was influenced by the higher unemployment rate, which 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 $3000 more in bonuses than women. Quick recognised this is an improvement over last year's $4000 disparity.

The largest average gender gap was recorded in the ACT where the average male bonus was $18,000 compared to $6000 for a female.

The survey also found men grossly outnumber women in the IT industry. Women only accounted for 15 percent of the sample, and the number of women in management roles was even smaller.

"Of the 5200 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.

The top 10 benefits across Australia

Candle's survey found 44 percent of respondents (2299) 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