6
FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1985
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DATA WERE COLLECTED BY PERSONAL INTERVIEW. A LETTER TOGETHER WITH A SET OF EXPLANATORY NOTES AND JOB SPECIFICATIONS WERE SENT TO THE SAMPLED COMPANIES. AN APPOINTMENT WAS THEN MADE AFTER WHICH AN OFFICER OF CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT CALLED ON THE COMPANY TO GIVE ASSISTANCE IN JOB MATCHING AND COMPLETING THE QUESTIONNAIRE.
BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE NEW SURVEY, A NOMINAL SALARY INDEX (A) AND A NOMINAL SALARY INDEX (B) WERE COMPILED. THESE SALARY INDEXES ARE DESIGNED TO MEASURE CHANGES IN SALARY RATES BY HOLDING THE OCCUPATIONAL AND INDUSTRIAL STRUCTURES THE SAME AS THAT IN JUNE 1983, WHICH IS TAKEN AS THE BASE PERIOD OF THE INDEXES. THE SALARY INDEX (A) IS COMPILED BY COMPARING THE AVERAGE OF THE SALARY LEVELS OF MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES IN JUNE 1984 WITH THAT IN JUNE 1983. IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE MEASURE OF CHANGE IN SALARY LEVELS AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT CHANGES IN SALARY LEVEL RESULTING FROM MOVEMENTS ACROSS COMPANIES AND IN AND OUT OF OCCUPATIONS AS WELL AS CHANGES IN SALARIES FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN IN THE SAME OCCUPATION AND THE SAME COMPANY IN BOTH YEARS. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SALARY INDEX (B) MEASURES THE CHANGES IN SALARY LEVELS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO REMAIN IN THE SAME OCCUPATION AND IN THE SAME COMPANY IN BOTH YEARS. IT THEREFORE ACCOUNTS ONLY FOR CHANGES DUE TO A GENERAL INCREMENT. MERITORIOUS INCREASE AND GAIN IN SENIOR ITY. THIS INDEX SHOULD BE USEFUL TO PERSONNEL MANAGERS IN DECIDING ON SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, WHILE THE NOMINAL SALARY INDEXES MEASURE THE CHANGES IN SALARY RATES IN MONEY TERMS, THE REAL SALARY INDEXES, WHICH ARE OBTAINED BY DEFLATING THE NOMINAL SALARY INDEXES BY THE HANG SENG CONSUMER PRICE INDEX,
APART MEASURE THE CHANGES IN THE SALARY RATES IN REAL TERMS. FROM BASIC SALARIES, THE SALARY RATE IS DEFINED TO INCLUDE ALSO COST-OF-LIVING"ALLOWANCE, GUARANTEED YEAR-END BONUS, COMMISSION AND TIPS AND OTHER GUARANTEED AND REGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCES. OTHER ITEMS WHICH MAY CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE TOTAL PAY PACKAGE OF EMPLOYEES AT THIS LEVEL SUCH AS PROF IT-SHARING BONUS AND HOUSING ALLOWANCE ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITION OF SALARY RATE. HOWEVER, STATISTICS ON THESE FRINGE BENEFITS ITEMS ARE SEPARATELY COMPILED. THEY ARE EXPRESSED IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGES OF EMPLOYEES INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY ENTITLED TO THEM.
DETAILS OF THE SALARY MOVEMENT, AVERAGE SALARY RATES FOR MAJOR OCCUPATIONS AND STATISTICS ON EMPLOYEE ENTITLEMENT TO VARIOUS FRINGE BENEFITS. TOGETHER WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODOLOGY, ARE PUBLISHED IN A +REPORT OF SALARY AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (MANAGERIAL AND PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYEES - EXCLUDING TOP MANAGEMENT)+. COPIES OF THIS REPORT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE AT $15 PER COPY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE BUILDING, GROUND FLOOR, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG.
FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE SALARY INDEXES, PLEASE CONTACT THE WAGES AND LABOUR COSTS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE NO. 5-455774 OR 5-416062.
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