[UK] Job ads most likely in Europe to be transparent about pay

New research has found UK employers to be most likely among those in major European countries to include salary details when they advertise a job, Reuters reports.

The recruitment platform Indeed found that 71 per cent of UK workers were transparent about pay in their job ads, compared to just 16 per cent in Germany.

The proportion of UK job ads with salary details has reportedly risen steadily from 48 per cent in 2019. It has also increased elsewhere in Europe but gaps between countries have not altered by much.

"The culture around pay secrecy and negotiation is a bigger factor in some countries than others," Indeed economist Jack Kennedy told Reuters.

In 2026, a law is due to come into force in the EU which will require employers to provide salary details either in a job advertisement or before an initial interview, as part of efforts to reduce pay differentials correlated with gender or ethnicity.

The UK does not currently have similar pay transparency laws, however, in 2024 courts ruled that the high street retailer Next had engaged in discrimination when it paid its, primarily female, retail staff less than predominantly male warehouse workers for doing work that judges decided was of equal value. Next is appealing the ruling.

Some of the lack of pay details in European job adverts results from how in some countries such as Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, certain sectors' pay is determined by publicly available collective bargaining agreements.

Yet even if collective bargaining agreements are taken into account, the proportion of roles where pay data is available only rises to 24 per cent in Germany, for example.

Pay transparency in job ads ranges widely between sectors in the UK, according to Indeed’s data, going from more than 90 per cent in nursing or social care to under 35 per cent for typically better paid - and more male-dominated - roles in finance, technology and engineering.

Public-sector roles and jobs paying close to the minimum wage were also revealed to be more likely to provide pay details. Other European countries showed a similar pattern of pay transparency.

Indeed reportedly encourages employers to provide pay data for job advertisements on its platform but says not all are keen, especially for higher-paid roles with less standardised duties and requirements.

"Some employers are concerned that it could foster discontent if it uncovers significant variations within the existing workforce," Mr Kennedy said.

Source: Reuters

(Link and quotes via original reporting)

New research has found UK employers to be most likely among those in major European countries to include salary details when they advertise a job, Reuters reports.

The recruitment platform Indeed found that 71 per cent of UK workers were transparent about pay in their job ads, compared to just 16 per cent in Germany.

The proportion of UK job ads with salary details has reportedly risen steadily from 48 per cent in 2019. It has also increased elsewhere in Europe but gaps between countries have not altered by much.

"The culture around pay secrecy and negotiation is a bigger factor in some countries than others," Indeed economist Jack Kennedy told Reuters.

In 2026, a law is due to come into force in the EU which will require employers to provide salary details either in a job advertisement or before an initial interview, as part of efforts to reduce pay differentials correlated with gender or ethnicity.

The UK does not currently have similar pay transparency laws, however, in 2024 courts ruled that the high street retailer Next had engaged in discrimination when it paid its, primarily female, retail staff less than predominantly male warehouse workers for doing work that judges decided was of equal value. Next is appealing the ruling.

Some of the lack of pay details in European job adverts results from how in some countries such as Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, certain sectors' pay is determined by publicly available collective bargaining agreements.

Yet even if collective bargaining agreements are taken into account, the proportion of roles where pay data is available only rises to 24 per cent in Germany, for example.

Pay transparency in job ads ranges widely between sectors in the UK, according to Indeed’s data, going from more than 90 per cent in nursing or social care to under 35 per cent for typically better paid - and more male-dominated - roles in finance, technology and engineering.

Public-sector roles and jobs paying close to the minimum wage were also revealed to be more likely to provide pay details. Other European countries showed a similar pattern of pay transparency.

Indeed reportedly encourages employers to provide pay data for job advertisements on its platform but says not all are keen, especially for higher-paid roles with less standardised duties and requirements.

"Some employers are concerned that it could foster discontent if it uncovers significant variations within the existing workforce," Mr Kennedy said.

Source: Reuters

(Link and quotes via original reporting)