forward with suggestions to improve its annual salary survey.

The survey, which shows the highs and lows of every position in Bermuda, is published annually by the BEC.

It is used by companies to evaluate what salaries should be paid to employees and what compensation should be paid out. In the survey, salaries are broken down by sector and into international and local business.

The weighty document contains information collated from about 150 companies -- about 5,600 employees -- and their positions.

The council says it is continually looking at ways of increasing the number of companies that take part and making sure the document is as relevant to its members as it can be.

"The document is only as good as the people that take part,'' said Andrea Mowbray, director of members services at BEC.

"If members participate in the survey, then the document is free. If not, members have to pay $725. All the information is confidential and is sent away to Canada without being opened.

"It is an invaluable tool, especially to payroll and human resources, and all you have to do is fill out the survey.'' Margaret Brigley, vice president of qualitative research services at Corporate Research Associates, the company that compiles the tome, said she wanted to see more companies participate in the survey.

"The survey's whole intention is to give businesses valuable input into annual salary assessment. It is intended to be a guide but BEC has a number of challenges as the results are only as good as the respondents.'' She said the document gave the norms for Bermuda jobs, such as administrative assistant, broken down into key sectors for easy use.

"You can look at the page and say, for an admin assistant, this is the salary expectation.'' The survey is only available to members of the Bermuda Employer's Council and information cannot be accessed by employees wanting to find out about average salaries.

Mrs. Mowbray said: "We have a lot of calls from employees asking for copies, but we do not give them out. We first ask if they are members, and then tell them the cost. And the request has to come in writing from an authorised senior member of staff before we issue a copy.'' BEC Survey New members also get a copy for free when they join. The existing 360 members of BEC will be getting copies of the survey to complete in May, and the document will be compiled and published within a few months by the experts in Canada.

Currently Mrs. Brigley and Mrs. Mowbray are speaking with employers to see if there should be any changes in the way the survey questionnaire is compiled before it goes to press.