Survey: Tyler Wages Increase Over Past Three Years By BRIAN PEARSON, Business Editor   |   Jun 16, 2009

Tyler-area employees have higher pay, better benefits, more time with their company, more paid vacation and more paid holidays than they did three years ago, according to the 2009 Tyler Wage and Benefit Survey released Monday.

The percentage of companies that said they gave annual pay increases stood at 62 percent, up from 56 percent three years ago and only 52 percent in 2003.

The average employee benefit package grew to $5,500 from $4,833 three years ago, a 13.8 percent increase. The average time an employee spent with a company grew to eight years compared with six in 2006.

Employer-provided holidays rose to eight from seven. Some 80 percent of companies had some type of retirement plan, up from 75 percent in 2006.

This year's report represented a 30-mile expansion in survey radius and was a joint effort between the Tyler, Kilgore and Lindale economic development groups, The University of Texas at Tyler and the city of Bullard.

The survey focused on wages and benefits in February and March, with a 33 percent response rate from 100 employers who were mailed a survey.

John Clary, Lindale Economic Development Corp. president, said the survey serves as a critical business-luring tool.

"The study is really important because it tells prospective companies what the wages and benefits look like for this area," Clary said. "For comparison purposes, this data is invaluable."

He cited call centers, a growing industry in the Tyler area, as an example of businesses that use wage and benefit survey information when making relocation and expansion decisions.

"Call centers are real labor deals," he said. "A call center is only going to be interested in this area if the labor rates are favorable. Every company is interested in wages."

In March, the Marshall & Swift/Boeckh call center celebrated the opening of its new Tyler offices and the expansion of its work force from 75 to 100.

Peter Wells, company president, said at the time that the call center could become a $100 million operation with 1,000 employees in the coming years.

The center is expected to have as many as 300 employees within three years, Wells said.

Tom Mullins, Tyler Economic Development Council president and CEO, said the survey results "provide a good cross section of employers to look at."

"They want to get a feel for what are the prevailing wages and what are the typical benefit packages," Mullins said.

In addition, governmental entities, such as Smith County and the city of Tyler, use the survey results to compare their pay and benefits with the private sector.

"I think what surprised us is that wages are pretty competitive here, and we haven't seen a drop in any particular category," Mullins said. "And employers are providing a lot of benefits for their labor force. What it says is if they've got a quality group of employees, they want to keep them."

Survey author Marilyn Young, management professor in The University of Texas at Tyler's business department, said the survey results show that workers here overall are well cared for.

"I would say its very good news that the Tyler employers tend to be taking good care of their employees," Ms. Young said. "Benefits have not changed the past three years.

"I was curious (before we did the survey) if there were some companies not paying benefits. I found really good news. I don't think it surprised me. It looks good for Tyler."

Standout statistics include the average paid holiday increase to eight days, matching the national rate, she said.

Also, the percentage of companies that provide paid jury duty increased dramatically, reaching 81 percent compared with only 63 percent three years ago.

Meanwhile, the number of employers who gave workers time off to vote grew to 44 percent from 24 percent.

"That's pretty significant," Ms Young said. "Employers seem to be civic-minded."

The percentage of companies offering tuition aid to workers also continues to rise, she noted.

About 39 percent of Tyler area employers offer tuition aid, compared with 33 percent in 2006 and 32 percent in 2003.

That not only benefits the workers, but Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler as well, she said.
Ms. Young said she expects the trend in improved benefits and wages here to continue for at least the next three years.

"The benefits are good now, and I expect that to continue," she said. "They've been pretty stable over the last few years."