The growing importance of salary benchmarking across business support roles

In the Business Support market, movement is accelerating, and salary expectations are moving with it. 

As a recruiter specialising in Business Support roles across community, social services, health and medical organisations, I’m seeing consistent demand across Executive Assistants, Coordinators, Administrators, Fundraising and Project Support professionals. These roles are no longer viewed as purely transactional support; they are increasingly recognised as critical to operational performance, leadership effectiveness, stakeholder engagement and program delivery.

At the same time, candidate expectations around remuneration have shifted noticeably. Many professionals are entering conversations more informed, more selective, and more willing to decline offers that don’t reflect current market value. In this environment, salary benchmarking is no longer a “nice to have”; it is a risk management and workforce planning tool.

Salary benchmarking matters more than ever right now

Benchmarking your salary bands matters more than ever before, and this is why:

1. Market salaries are shifting faster than many internal pay bands
   Internal salary frameworks are often reviewed annually, but market movement doesn’t wait for review cycles. Over the past year in particular, I’ve seen Business Support salaries move in smaller, but more frequent increments. Organisations relying solely on older bands are finding that offers sit just below market, sometimes by only a few thousand dollars, yet that gap is enough to lose strong candidates.

2. Top candidates are often choosing between multiple offers
   High-performing executive assistants, senior administrators and experienced coordinators are rarely on the market for long. It’s increasingly common for candidates to be in two or three processes simultaneously. When responsibilities and flexibility are comparable, remuneration becomes the tie-breaker. Employers are sometimes surprised to learn they were competitive on culture and role scope, but not on salary.

3. Counteroffers are rising and succeeding when pay is out of step
   We are seeing more counteroffers from current employers, particularly when a valued Business Support professional resigns. When the counteroffer brings the salary up to market rate, candidates frequently stay. In several recent cases, candidates told me they hadn’t been actively looking, they responded to an approach, discovered their market value had increased, and their employer adjusted pay to retain them. Without benchmarking, organisations risk unintentionally creating these situations.

4. Replacement hiring costs typically exceed proactive salary reviews
   Replacing an experienced support professional is rarely cost-neutral. There are advertising and recruitment costs, onboarding time, training investment, and the productivity gap while a new hire gets up to speed. Leaders also feel the operational impact, especially where Business Support staff hold key organisational knowledge. A proactive salary adjustment is often significantly less expensive than a reactive replacement process.

5. Pay transparency is now part of candidate decision-making
   Candidates are talking more openly about salary with peers, networks, and recruiters. Many come to first interviews with a clear understanding of current ranges. I regularly hear candidates say, “I’m seeing similar roles advertised higher than this,” or “My peers in comparable organisations are earning more.” Transparency is reducing information gaps and increasing the importance of accurate, current benchmarking data.

What I’m hearing directly from Business Support professionals

In conversations with candidates, a few themes come up repeatedly:

• “I didn’t realise the market had moved this much.”
  Mid-tenure administrators and coordinators are often surprised to learn their current salary sits well below market, particularly if they have stayed loyal to one organisation for several years without a role re-evaluation.
• “The role has grown, but the salary hasn’t.”
  Scope creep is common. Many Business Support professionals take on project work, stakeholder coordination, systems ownership, or team supervision over time. However, remuneration doesn’t always keep pace with expanded responsibility.
• “I love my organisation, but I can’t ignore the gap.”
  In the for-purpose sector, especially, candidates are values-driven and committed, but still financially practical. When the gap becomes material, even highly engaged employees start exploring options.
• “I’m not chasing the highest salary, just a fair one.”
  Importantly, most candidates are not expecting top-of-market pay. They are looking for alignment and fairness. When employers can demonstrate that salary has been benchmarked and reviewed recently, trust increases, even if budgets are tight.

Importance of salary benchmarking in for-purpose organisations

For-purpose employers often balance funding constraints, governance requirements, and pay equity considerations. That makes accurate, sector-specific benchmarking even more important. Comparing against the wrong market or outdated data can distort decisions in either direction.

Targeted salary benchmarking helps organisations stay competitive while remaining responsible and sustainable. It also supports internal equity conversations and provides evidence for remuneration review proposals.

If you’re managing or hiring Business Support staff, it’s worth asking: are your salary bands still aligned with the current market, and when did you last benchmark your Business Support roles?

If you’d like a current market snapshot or a quick benchmarking conversation, I’m always happy to connect. Contact me directly on 0494 388 732 or via laura@johnsonrecruitment.com.au to start a confidential conversation about your business support needs.