Resources & benefits

Remuneration Survey insights

Remuneration

Remuneration for Associate Chartered Accountants has increased by 4% overall and remuneration for Accounting Technicians has also increased by 2.3% compared to remuneration in 2010. The increases ranged from $126 to $4,358.
The average Chartered Accountant’s remuneration has decreased slightly (2.5%) in the last year. The decrease is as a result of a small decrease across each of the components of a CA’s package – base, bonus, vehicle allowance and other.
Curiously, the KiwiSaver/superannuation component of remuneration has increased for all designations, suggesting that saving and planning for the future has increased in importance over the last year. The percentage increase for CAs, ACAs and ATs is 65%, 56% and 98% respectively.
The survey shows wide fluctuations in salary by region, type of position, and sector. Members in senior roles have seen a more significant fluctuation in their remuneration.

This year we have developed a tool which allows you to select different variables to compare remuneration results. View the ‘Run my numbers’ tool here.

More remuneration insights (PDF, 693KB)

Taking a portable qualification offshore

6.5% of members intending to go overseas in the next year are making use of the portability of the CA designation and are going for an OE, increased pay, or for career advancement. Remuneration packages for Chartered Accountants overseas are higher with the differences becoming larger for more senior positions.
The majority of members planning to head overseas are from Wellington and Auckland.
9.7% of members currently overseas plan to come back to NZ in the next six months for the lifestyle or to start a family.

More portability insights (PDF, 973KB)

Christchurch

The results did not reveal any trends for members in Christchurch that are significant fluctuations or outliers to the national averages.
Perhaps surprisingly, members in Christchurch are less likely to be planning to head overseas - only 4% compared with 6.5% from across the country.
Also of interest is the fact that only 3% of respondents identified earthquake related recovery as a major issue for the next five years.

More Christchurch insights (PDF, 438KB)

Employee and employer expectations in the changing market place

Asked for the first time this year, NZICA prompted respondents to outline what’s important to them in a role and contrasted this with the ways employers attract and retain staff.
Chartered Accountants (CA), Associate Chartered Accountants (ACA) and Accounting Technicians (AT)* are all looking for similar attributes from a role with work/life balance rated as most important by all designations (CA 30%, ACA 28%, AT 35%), followed by career advancement (CA 20%, ACA 18%, AT 14%), and earning potential (CA 13%, ACA 16%, AT 11%).
There is however, significant disparity between the value placed on work/life balance by employees and employers with only 6% of employers seeing it as a priority vs 30% of CAs, 28% of ACAs and 35% of ATs.
Employers are looking to retain and attract staff through salaries, organisational culture, career advancement and training – most of which marry up with the factors employees consider most important.

More insights about employer expectations (PDF, 333KB)
More insights about employee expectations (PDF, 569KB)

Crystal ball gazing - the accounting profession over the next five years

47% of members believe economic recovery is 12-18 months away, but that over the next five years the advice they give will become more growth focused (14%) and strategic (8%). These changes suggest members are optimistic about New Zealand’s future economic outlook. It also reinforces the changing role of New Zealand’s modern accounting professional – where value for clients and employers is derived from insight beyond the numbers.
When asked about the major issues that the sector will face over the next five years the need to become more strategic (17%), keeping up with technology (15%), expanding areas of expertise (9%) and keeping up with legislative changes (9%) were most commonly identified.

More insights about the next five years (PDF, 463KB)