With economic growth in the range of 8-9%, India is likely to enjoy the highest salary hike in the world, of around 15.2% in 2008 as against 15.1% in the previous year revealed a survey conducted by global human resource service firm Hewitt Associates.

Employees in the real estate industry never had it this good. The realty sector is projected to witness the salary rise of 25 % in 2008 in India, even ahead of retail and telecommunications industries.

With double-digit growth in the service sector, there is strong demand for talent in the country. Struggle for finding talent to sustain the high growth is growing in the country. The high economic growth rate has provided employees great career opportunities. Therefore, employers are using compensation as a strategic lever in attracting, retaining and motivating the talent pool.

However, the survey forecasts a gradual decrease in salary hikes and stabilization in the range of nine to ten per cent by 2012.The survey was conducted in 540 organizations in India across 19 industries in the last three months.