Lidl raises wages for the second time this year
From 1 September 2023, the company will implement a uniform 10% wage increase for employees working in stores, warehouse physical workers, warehouse department heads and regional managers, thus spending a total of HUF 63.7 billion on wage costs in 2023. Judit Tőzsér, head of communications at Lidl Hungary, said:
As a market-leading retail chain, we believe it is of the utmost importance to maintain the real value of wages, especially in these difficult times, and to continue to stand by our employees by offering competitive salaries and fringe benefits to them.
Thanks to our established wage structure, our employees can be placed in a higher pay band for each year of service, so the current 10% increase also means that in October, the basic salary of physical workers, regional managers and warehouse department heads will have increased by at least 21% and up to 43% compared to January," Tőzsér added.
Lidl currently offers the following average gross wages for employees working eight hours a day:
- Store worker: HUF 452 000 - 587 000;
- Store managers: HUF 993 000 - 1 217 000;
- Regional managers: HUF 970 000 - 1 570 000;
- Physical workers in logistics centres: HUF 473 000 - 764 000.
Store managers and regional managers may also avail of a premium category car with unlimited private use, fully financed by the chain.
In addition to wages, the company provides a range of fringe benefits for its employees:
- A key element of the package is Lidl's high-value health insurance programme, which provides complex, free healthcare services in a private clinic setting nationwide.
- Employees also receive a set amount each month on their Lidl meal card (with the company assuming 100% of the tax on the benefit).
- The company reimburses 100% of the cost of travelling to work by public transport, and provides a fuel subsidy of HUF 40/km instead of the mandatory HUF 18/km for employees who drive their own car to work.
- The benefits package also includes an employee discount scheme, a jubilee allowance, a baby box for new parents, a Christmas gift, a referral scheme, a back-to-school allowance, a summer camp for employees' children, and a family and sports day.
Lidl has become Hungary's largest chain in recent years, and has been steadily increasing its lead in recent years. Discount chains are also benefiting from inflation, which surged to its highest in decades, while hypermarkets and supermarkets are losing ground.
Cover photo: Shutterstock
