Business support hiring trends
in Belgium

The Walters People Salary Survey 2017 includes comprehensive information on salary evolutions and recruitment trends regarding contracting business. The salary tables provide a useful tool for benchmarking salaries.

Here we discuss the outlook for business support roles in Belgium.

Focus on sector experience

Hiring activity significantly increased in 2016 in contrast to the past few years where the focus was largely on cost cutting. In particular, specialists in sourcing, payroll and social legislation were highly sought after. Demand for trilingual management assistants, receptionists and marketing professionals remained stable throughout the year. Meanwhile, due to a rise in e-commerce activity, logistics and customer service professionals were highly sought after, both for long-term temporary positions and permanent roles.

With SMEs looking to further expand in 2017, demand will increase for experienced support professionals in logistics, supply chain, customer service and human resources to support business growth.

More than ever, hiring managers focused on sector experience and specific software knowledge, as well as strong language skills. Candidates who met these requirements often received multiple job offers, with employers competing for top talent.

Outlook for 2017

With SMEs looking to further expand in 2017, demand will increase for experienced support professionals in logistics, supply chain, customer service and human resources to support business growth. We anticipate that companies of all sizes will assign further budget for recruitment in 2017 and as demand increases, hiring managers will be challenged when sourcing highly qualified candidates with strong analytical skills. Law firms, international companies and European institutions will continue to hire administrative professionals to support their businesses in Belgium.

Salaries remained relatively stable in 2016 and no major changes are anticipated in 2017. We expect hiring managers will become more persistent on finding professionals who are an exact match for their hiring criteria, focusing on finding the perfect candidate, before committing to making an offer. This could lead to an increase in assessments and tests during the hiring process. However, to secure the best talent, employers should shorten their recruitment process, offer broader roles and consider wider incentives such as flexible work and training opportunities.