Salaries Stand Still At Utilities

Each year, ice storms turn public attention to utilities. The quality of their work affects lives everyday, so how utilities attract and retain qualified individuals can be crucial. According to the Compensation Data annual survey of more than 5,300 employers, salaries at utilities have largely stagnated over the last three years. However, the largest difference can be seen between positions.

Education and experience create a large disparity in the salaries paid within utilities. In 2006, electrical engineering managers with eight years of related work experience and a bachelors degree earned $99,148 on average. Thatís 51.8 percent more than a senior-level, cable construction technician with one year of experience and a high school degree makes each year.

Within the field, experience and apprenticeships can make a significant difference in the salary paid. Linemen at the journeyman level who have three years of experience and have completed an apprenticeship earn $54,514 on average. In comparison, apprentice linemen make $42,381, which is 22.3 percent less than those with more experience.

Utilities are not the only industry where this is found, said Amy Kaminski, manager of marketing programs for Compdata Surveys. However, because salaries and pay increase budgets have virtually stayed the same for the last three years, employers will have to seek new ways to retain their best employees in what could soon be a tight market for skilled labor.

Employers can often retain top performers by increasing benefits packages in a number of ways. Utilities offer tuition reimbursement to 90.1 percent of technical employees, 90.9 percent of hourly and 91.7 percent of administrative. They also provide flexible schedules to 61.1 percent of technical or professional employees and to 58.4 percent of administrative workers. In addition, utilities offer some of the highest number of sick days to their full and part time employees.

Health insurance continues to cause employers and workers concern, and utilities are no exception. While most utilities offer health insurance, 32.2 percent of utilities have increased the employee portion of health insurance premiums to reduce costs. This could cause turnover in a tight market.