The 10 highest construction and property salary increases for the year ahead 

The construction and property industry has shown signs of slowing down when it comes to pay rises, with our latest data showing that 78% of employers increased their employees’ salaries in the last 12 months – a slight decrease from the year before (81%). However, as 96% of employers have experienced skills shortages in the past year, having competitive rates of pay remains an important talent attraction method in a tight hiring market. 

83% of employers plan to recruit staff in 2025, almost no change from last year (82%). Salary is a key motivator for employees to take the next step in their career – 59% anticipate they will move jobs within the next year, over a third of whom want to do so for better salaries and benefits packages (35%). For those not planning on changing jobs, 46% could be tempted to do so by a better salary and benefits package.  

In our Hays UK Salary & Recruiting Trends 2025 guide, we received insights from over 1,000 employers and employees working within construction and property, offering an exclusive deep dive into the industry’s salary trends, recruitment challenges, and other key market insights. 

Our latest research gives rise to three crucial questions: 
•    Which construction and property roles are paid the most? 
•    Will salary inflation continue? 
•    What’s driving salary increases across the industry? 
 

A wide variety of roles and professionals see above-average pay increases 

Pay across the construction and property industry rose by 2.5% – slightly higher than the UK-wide average of 2.4%. Some areas received above average pay increases over the last year. For example, social housing salaries increased by an average of 4.3% driven in part by National Living Wage increases. Pay for construction roles rose by an average of 2.9% and general practice roles increased by an average of 2.8%.  

Salary growth looks set to continue over the coming year, with 77% of employers planning on increasing their employees’ salaries, according to our survey data. These increases have been well received by professionals, with 69% satisfied with their salary or pay rate.  

Besides pay, what is motivating professionals to change job?

Despite salaries being a key driver for construction and property employees to find a new job, there are other factors hiring managers in the sector must be aware of to maximise their hiring plans. 

When considering a new role, 84% of employees believe that an organisation’s purpose is an important consideration. Other areas that are valued by potential new talent include an organisation’s commitment to sustainability (76%) and having a diverse and inclusive organisational culture (75%).  

Flexible working practices, wherever possible, are also key for employees. Currently, more than half (56%) of professionals are working fully in the workplace, 30% are working in a hybrid way, and 14% are working fully remotely. 41% say the four-day working week is an important flexible working option to them in a new role, followed by hybrid working (34%) and home or remote working (31%). 

The need for flexibility is further highlighted by only 6% of professionals planning to find a more office-based role over the next 12 months, with over a quarter (27%) instead saying they plan to find a new role that is more of a mix of hybrid working. If you’re considering changing jobs, it helps to keep an eye on the latest vacancies in your area.

For a comprehensive look at salaries and employment trends across the entire construction and property industry, along with exclusive employer insights, download a copy of the latest Hays Salary and Recruitment Trends 2025 guide.