Workers in communications roles hit by 39% salary dive

Web development employees also suffered.

According to font's annual Market Pulse round-up, median salaries across the digital, creative and marketing industry dropped from 2012 to 2013, but this trend should reverse in 2014. 

font’s annual Market Pulse round-up comprised 6410 surveys, 2563 of which were from Singapore, collected from January 1 2013 to January 1 2014. Results showed median salaries were generally lower than in 2012, despite many businesses ramping up their investment in the sector. 

Managing director Jacqui Barratt said the downward movement could partly be attributed to rapid job creation at a junior level, driving down the overall median. As roles become more specialist, and demand outstrips supply, she said salaries should rise in 2014.

In Singapore, roles in multimedia design and digital were hit the hardest, with men in web development seeing salaries drop by 36 per cent. Industry-wide, men and women in communications roles received the largest decrease, as salaries shrank by 39 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.

The strongest growth was seen in studio, traffic and production roles for the creative industries where salaries grew by 43 per cent, while digital marketing and advertising specialist roles experienced the biggest upward shift for women, with spikes of 27 per cent and 18 per cent respectively. 

Asia regional director at font, Karin Clarke, said she expected to see salaries rise this year, as SMEs invest in marketing and communications services, particularly on the back of the Do-Not-Call Registry and the 2014 budget’s ICT support. Savvy businesses will instead be scaling up their digital content and advertising campaigns, she said. 

Singapore country manager, Anna Clark-Hall added: “The skill shortage in Singapore’s creative, marketing and digital sector will only grow as employment regulations are tightened - we expect to see salaries rise in response.”