Advertised administrative salaries held steady in October, the stability of these salaries across recent months suggests a continued understanding of the importance of administrative staff in running British offices.

Within advertised permanent roles, administrator jobs are most in demand across all sectors, benefiting from an average advertised salary of £20,430. Whilst this is down 4.18 percent on last year, the change since last month is negligible (0.06 percent), making it one of the most stable of all office jobs. Temporary roles are also faring well, with the £9 an hour average advertised wage remaining stable compared to both last month and last year. Receptionist jobs are currently the lowest paid permanent roles, at an advertised average of £17,000. This has declined by 1.9 percent in year-on-year and 0.2 percent in the last month. Temporary receptionist wages are also the lowest in UK office jobs at just £7 an hour.

David Clubb, Managing Director of Office Angels, commented: “With unemployment at its highest level for 17 years, employers have access to a wider pool of talent than usual and can afford to offer lower salaries due to the intense competition for every role. Companies are also exercising caution in the face of a possible “double dip” recession and so are offering fewer roles and lower wages where possible. “However, the high demand for administrators across all sectors and the relative stability of advertised salaries for this role reflect the importance of administrative staff in keeping British businesses up and running. Administrators underpin the work of everyone in a company, and some may find themselves taking on more responsibility as staff levels elsewhere in the business are decreased.

“Meanwhile, receptionist roles have seen a decline in advertised salaries. This could be a result of companies reducing the number of reception staff they employ during difficult economic times, leading to high demand for available roles and forcing candidates to compromise on pay.”

Scotland is home to both the best and worst performers, advertising salaries at both ends of the spectrum. Advertised salaries for permanent administrators in Scotland are the highest in the UK, outside of London, despite an ongoing decline. At £21,230, pay for the role has remained strong despite a decline of 3.83 percent on last year. The role’s temporary equivalent, however, has performed less well, with the advertised wage of £8 an hour coming in underneath the national average. Meanwhile, advertised receptionist salaries in Scotland are the lowest in the UK at just £14,098, almost £3000 less than the national average, despite the fact that they have shown a comparatively high increase of 2.03 percent compared to last year. Temporary receptionist wages remain the same as the national average at £7 an hour.