'The differential' | How are reward & payroll teams coping with the squeeze on pay?

Recent data strongly suggests UK pay awards are tilting towards restraint, as reward teams find themselves under immense pressure to deliver future-proofed employee value propositions. 

While Brightmine data indicates current pay awards remain resilient at a median of 3.2%, matched sample analysis of 3.2 million employees shows 42.3% of settlements were lower from 1 March 2026 to 31 May 2026, than the same period last year.