For CIOs, The Pay Is Good And The Hours Are Long

As a group, CIOs are well paid, work long hours, and like their jobs, according to a new study released this week. But they're not that crazy about blogs.

A survey of 172 CIOs found that 80% think their roles are becoming more strategic to their companies, compared with only 63% who said that last year. The survey was conducted by recruitment firm Harvey Nash and was sponsored by KPMG.

Forty-three percent of CIOs said they have responsibilities outside of the IT organizations, and 72% said they play a primary role in business continuity. But 37% said they'd like to expand their roles with greater decision-making capabilities.

To juggle everything, CIOs log in long days. Nearly six in 10 CIOs said they work 46 to 55 hours a week, while 20% said they work between 56 and 65 hours a week. About 4% said they work more than 65 hours a week. Only 14% said they work fewer than 45 hours a week.

Despite the long hours, CIOs are generally satisfied with their jobs. Eighty-five percent said they find their current positions fulfilling, and two-thirds said they aren't currently seeking new career opportunities.

One of the brightest spots in CIOs' jobs is the pay. CIOs received an average salary of $163,000 over the last 12 months. Three-quarters of the CIOs surveyed said they received bonuses in addition to salary over the last year, with one in four indicating they got bonuses ranging between 26% and 50%. Most of the others received bonuses between 1% and 25%.

And while increasing numbers of companies feature blogs on their corporate Web sites, a majority of CIOs -- nearly 80% -- are underwhelmed by the business value of blogs. Only 14% of CIOs said blogs offer significant business value.