BENEFITS
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INSIGHT
HYBRID WORKING negotiation process at the offer stage and , from this , the office lunch was born ! Affiliate consolidator Catena Media was the first to introduce this benefit in our sector and it was only then a matter of time before most other large businesses followed suit . The benefits war had begun with a lot of the power now being ceded to the employee .
The power that is now in the hands of the employee is an ongoing evolution . There have been several ways in which employees have increased this influence .
The igaming sector requires specialised knowledge in areas like game development , regulatory compliance , user experience , data analysis , AI and BI . Candidates with these desirable skills are in high demand , giving them the ability to negotiate competitive salary packages and increased benefits . We have seen candidates with around three years of professional experience in these niche areas commanding annual salaries close to $ 100,000 . This changes the game when it comes to salary benchmarking both internally and in the market .
Localised demographics play a part too . Candidates ’ whereabouts have become an increasingly important bargaining tool for those based in countries where there are skill shortages . Malta – as the largest gaming hub – became a breeding ground for talent back in 2013 which ensured that the workforce was heavily incentivised .
This localisation argument evolved further with the Covid-19 pandemic . Between 2020 and 2022 , many businesses with large expat workforces decided to close temporarily but later departed from their initial plan to reopen in favour of downsizing office space . We saw this on a mass scale in Malta .
This then prompted companies to move to a remote-first setup , something which also came with its own challenges . This topic is an increasingly interesting one due to some companies – including Betsson – now moving into a phased return to the office with hybrid ( not remote ) policies implemented .
As the igaming sector continues to grow , companies are vying for market share . To succeed , they must secure the best talent to innovate and stay ahead , leading to more favourable terms for employees . The war for talent has been a real and ever-present challenge for businesses over the past couple of years .
LinkedIn has revolutionised the way candidates can access information on roles . Not only is salary information readily available but the tool means jobseekers are also just one click away from being contacted by a recruiter .
At CMC Consulting we have heard of some businesses even asking their workforce not to be on LinkedIn to avoid poaching . It ’ s not uncommon for us to come across candidates who list their employer as NDA . This has totally changed the game when it comes to the talent market and has begun to shift the power further .
STANDING FIRM
It ’ s not all power to the workforce though . Employers do maintain some leverage in the igaming world . While a decade of employee leverage has seen employees definitively gain ground , employers in the igaming industry still maintain substantial influence due a number of factors .
We have all seen the changes in previous market leaders with their workforce setup . Some businesses have reduced head count by up to a quarter meaning the market in some areas is now flooded with highly skilled candidates . This has had a knock-on effect for support
BENEFITS
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
88 • ISSUE 94 • iGB AFFILIATE LONDON 2024