Compensation of employees (% of expense) in Belgium
Belgium: Compensation of employees (% of expense) was 5.9% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Compensation of employees in Belgium, 1995–2022
Source: Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of expense.
Analysis
The most recent figure for compensation of employees in Belgium is 5.9%, measured in 2022.
The figure is up 2.3% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, compensation of employees in Belgium peaked at 7.0% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 2021.
Belgium ranks 153rd of 155 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 28 years of available data.
Compensation of employees (% of expense) in Belgium, year by year
| Year | % of expense | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 7.0% | — |
| 1996 | 6.8% | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 6.9% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 6.8% | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 6.9% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 6.9% | -0.8% |
| 2001 | 6.9% | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 7.0% | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 6.8% | -2.9% |
| 2004 | 6.7% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 6.4% | -5.2% |
| 2006 | 6.7% | +5.8% |
| 2007 | 6.6% | -1.5% |
| 2008 | 6.5% | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 6.5% | -1.3% |
| 2010 | 6.3% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 6.1% | -3.3% |
| 2012 | 5.9% | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 6.0% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 6.3% | +5.2% |
| 2015 | 6.4% | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 6.3% | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 6.2% | -2.2% |
| 2019 | 6.1% | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 5.7% | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 5.7% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 5.9% | +2.3% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 5.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 18.9%, 31% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 5.9% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 16.4%, 36% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 6.9% | 6.8% | 7.0% | 5 |
| 2000s | 6.7% | 6.4% | 7.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.2% | 5.9% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.9% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 150 Switzerland 7.0% compare
- 151 Brazil 6.6% compare
- 152 Spain 5.9% compare
- 154 Germany 5.7% compare
- 155 Kazakhstan 5.2% compare
More public sector data for Belgium
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 430.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 43.43 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0008 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate -92.94 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is compensation of employees in Belgium?
- Compensation of employees in Belgium was 5.9% in 2022, according to Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest compensation of employees recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 7.0% in 2002.
- What is the lowest compensation of employees recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 2021.
- How does Belgium rank for compensation of employees?
- Belgium ranks 153rd out of 155 countries with data for 2022.
- Is compensation of employees rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Government Finance Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Compensation of employees (% of expense). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Compensation of employees is defined as the total remuneration, in cash or in kind, payable by an enterprise to an employee in return for work done by the latter during the accounting period. This indicator is expressed as percentage of total expenses which is any decrease in net worth resulting from a transaction.