Salary survey reveals what Geelong businesses must do to stay competitive in hiring

The latest Hays Salary Guide, based on surveying more than 7,000 professionals across Australia, carries critical messages for Geelong business leaders about the decisions they need to make right now. While annual salary guides are routinely combed for insights into what employees want, the real strategic signal lies in what the data reveals about the competitive pressures facing employers in the region.

According to analysis of the 2026 guide, Geelong businesses face mounting pressure to rethink recruitment and retention strategies as the labour market tightens in regional centres. The guide suggests that wage growth expectations, flexibility demands and skills shortages are reshaping how companies must position themselves as employers. For local businesses competing for talent against Melbourne-based firms and interstate rivals, the implications are direct: standing still on remuneration, work arrangements or career development is no longer an option.

For Geelong's growing sectors including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, education and services, the survey data underscores that skilled professionals now have genuine choice. Employers who respond strategically to these trends are more likely to retain institutional knowledge and capability, particularly in roles where Geelong's regional location or cost of living once provided competitive advantage. The message: invest in understanding what your workforce values, or watch competitors poach your best people.

Sources: timesnewsgroup.com.au.

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