The recently released annual salary survey from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) shows an upward trend for compensation; but how does job satisfaction fit in? And are gender pay gaps closing… or widening?
The period immediately following the pandemic lockdown was known as the Great Resignation, when millions either retired or quit their jobs. Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has identified a subsequent period called the Great Reshuffle, wherein more people have sought greater work-life balance as well as positions within their industry more aligned with their values.
Is the business events industry going through a Great Reshuffle? The signals point toward yes, according to the 2024 Salary Survey from PCMA—released last month but conducted mid-year—which indicates more professionals moving from full-time to freelance work, not just to find more balance but to remove themselves from unpleasant work environments, according to respondents.
Office Harmony… or Not
Implied in this year’s Salary Survey responses, it seems that more people are unhappy than happy with their current employers. When PCMA compared open-ended responses to this year’s Salary Survey question, “What do you like best about your job?” against what respondents said in answer to the opposite question (what they liked least), several themes emerged.
For one thing, what respondents liked most or least about their work didn’t have much to do with the work at all—the great majority enjoy what they do—but the workplace itself. Examples from the positive side include:
- “Very little drama at this team/company”
- “Work from anywhere, self-management”
- “A lot of trust”
- “Support for training and career growth”
While on the negative side, the following were mentioned:
- “Too many projects, not enough staff”
- “Lots of burnout, expecting high-performers to take on more without more pay”
- “Too many group discussions and perspectives to consider before decisions are made”
- “Leadership who micromanage every part of what I do”
- “Office politics” (16 mentions)
The results might leave employers wondering about employee retention, and how much or even whether salary satisfaction figures in.
As quoted by PCMA: “Some experts emphasize the importance of competitive compensation and benefits, others point to a positive organizational culture, and still others indicate the importance of creating opportunities for career development. Many managers weighing the contradictory recommendations feel the pressure to do something to reduce the costs associated with hiring and onboarding new employees.”
A Snapshot of Salaries
Along with questions about the workplace came the salary benchmarks submitted according to title and certification levels:
Average Salary by Job Title (North America)
Coordinator/Specialist: $64,268
Manager: $84,622
Director: $104,558
Executive Level/VP: $116,144
Average Salary by Organization Type
Independent Meeting Planner: $75,000
Professional Conference Organizer: $81,600
Association Management Company: $89,240
Corporation: $89,457
Association: $101,864
Nonprofit: $105,183
More than half of respondents have earned the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) designation and one-quarter have earned the DES (Digital Event Strategist) designation. Five percent of respondents are CAEs (Certified Association Executives); and 6 percent have earned a CMM (Certification in Meeting Management).
The average salary for those with a CMP is nearly $110,000 vs. those without a CMP, whose salary averages slightly above $104,000. Respondents who earned a DES have an average salary of nearly $107,000. The average salary for respondents without any designation is $94,429.
The dark cloud to any silver lining here is the persistent gender wage gap, which has widened a bit this year vs. last year, from nearly 5 percent to almost 6 percent. This year, women earned on average more than $6,000 less than men.
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