2025 Pay Raise Outlook: 4 Key Things to Know
- Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, most organizations are proceeding with planned salary increases.
- A ample portion of companies are planning broad-based salary increases.
- Becker's Hospital Review documented that between December 2024 and August 2025, 39 hospitals and health systems announced plans to increase employee pay Becker's Hospital Review.
Salary Increase Trends in Late 2024 and early 2025
Table of Contents
updated September 8, 2025, at 05:35:54 AM PDT
Economic Uncertainty and Salary Budgets
Despite ongoing economic uncertainty, most organizations are proceeding with planned salary increases. A Korn Ferry survey revealed that the majority of respondents reported no impact on thier organizations’ salary increase plans. Specifically, 26% indicated a slight decrease in raises, while 7% reported a meaningful decrease, and a small percentage (3%) saw slight increases Korn Ferry.
Widespread Raises Expected
A ample portion of companies are planning broad-based salary increases. According to the korn Ferry survey, 43% of respondents anticipate giving raises to at least 95% of their workforce. Furthermore, nearly 80% of companies intend to provide raises to at least 80% of their employees.
Healthcare Industry: Raises and Reductions
The healthcare sector presents a mixed picture. Becker’s Hospital Review documented that between December 2024 and August 2025, 39 hospitals and health systems announced plans to increase employee pay Becker’s Hospital Review. However, during a similar timeframe, 70 hospitals and health systems announced job cuts Becker’s Hospital Review. This suggests a strategic shift within the industry, potentially involving reallocation of resources towards remaining staff while streamlining operations.
Managerial Optimism Regarding Raises
Expectations regarding raises vary across different employee levels. A LinkedIn News survey of 12,698 U.S.workers conducted in late 2024 showed that managers are significantly more optimistic about receiving a raise than other employees. Half of managers anticipated a raise,compared to 45% of directors and above,and 43% of individual contributors LinkedIn News. This disparity could be attributed to managers’ direct impact on company performance and their potential for larger contributions to revenue or cost savings.
Reconciling Contradictions & Key Takeaways
The data presents a seemingly contradictory landscape. While some healthcare organizations are reducing staff, manny are together increasing pay for remaining employees. This suggests a focus on retaining valuable talent in a competitive labor market, even amidst financial pressures. The overall trend indicates that, despite economic concerns, most companies are committed to rewarding their employees with salary increases, though the extent of those increases may vary.
the higher optimism among managers regarding raises likely reflects their roles and responsibilities within organizations. Their performance is often more directly tied to measurable outcomes, making them more likely candidates for merit-based increases.
