Pay rises and promotion opportunities have become more commonplace in the optical workplace this year, according to latest research.
The Optician Workplace Survey, sponsored by Specsavers, also established that better pay was of most importance to those eye care professionals seeking new employment.
It was found that 32 per cent have been promoted with their current employer, up 10 per cent from the same stage last year. Staff employed by multiples were twice as likely to have been promoted.
A quarter of those surveyed rated promotion opportunities at either very good or excellent – showing an 8 per cent improvement on prospects at the same stage this year.
There was also an upturn in salary increases, with 48 per cent reporting a pay rise in the past two years compared to 27 per cent for the prior two year period.
More employers were also reported to be supporting staff in completing further qualifications, with 53 per cent feeling supported – up from 45 per cent in last year’s survey.
When asked about what was most important when searching for a new job, better pay topped the list while job security, using clinical skills, patient interaction and training were also considerations.
Salary was less important in terms of what ECPs enjoyed most about their job though, the survey found, with patient interaction, clinical skills and dispensing spectacles all ranking higher.
‘Remuneration as ever scores highly as a key motivator but for true job satisfaction optical professionals consider patient care, development and opportunity as the hallmarks of an employer of choice,’ said Specsavers head of partner recruitment for Europe David Martin.
The research was carried out this month among 550 respondents including optometrists, dispensing opticians, optical assistants and technicians from a mixture of independent and multiple practices.
Further analysis of the survey and other careers-related content can be found in this week’s Optician Workplace supplement, free with the print edition of Optician.
