Belgium's Consulting Industry Braces for Government-Enforced Salary Adjustments

By Gonzalo Lavín Alfaro - Business Development Team

Belgium’s consulting industry is facing severe challenges as a result of the government's policy of annually adjusting wages based on the inflation index.

The Belgian government enacts a wage adjustment policy each January based on an index of inflation for a specific group of employees to ensure they maintain their purchasing power. However, this cost is passed on to firms, resulting in reduced profitability.

Up to now, consulting firms have been able to offset this cost increase with increased productivity. According to one client in the consulting industry, "when salary costs increase by less than 5%, a similar increase in productivity was normally achievable."

However, the required wage adjustment in January 2023 of 11.08% poses a steep challenge. While some firms have attempted to increase their rates and pass on the cost to clients, many clients are unwilling to accept higher rates and are instead requesting discounts or fewer charged days due to the current economic climate.

In response, firms are considering other measures to address these challenges. One idea is to adjust target bonuses, particularly for workers in higher seniority levels. This would help firms manage costs while maintaining competitiveness but still rewarding lower level employees for their performance.  Another more radical idea, albeit not uncommon in the Belgian market already, is to expand the usage of external contractors as consultants, allowing firms to avoid certain types of taxes and giving them more flexibility in managing their workforce. While this approach may have benefits for firms, it could also have implications for workers, such as reduced job security and fewer benefits.

Should you want to discuss the ideas being considered by your competitors or how you may successfully respond to these challenges, please contact Vencon Research – as always, we are happy to assist you.

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