To advertise a salary or to not advertise a salary: Glen Callum Associates shares its insight

Kerrie Richards – Director, Glen Callum Associates Ltd

Despite many employers having a slight uncertainty around salary transparency, Glen Callum Associates (GCA) is pointing to the benefits of being open when it comes to salary.

While it is not a legal requirement, over the past few years, salary transparency seems to have become a growing trend, with many companies opting to include the salary range when advertising vacancies.

According to research from our job board partners Reed, so far in 2024, jobs that disclose a salary receive 60% more applications than those that don’t – jumping up 33 percentage points since 2021.

This, in part, could be down to younger workers demanding transparency. Research by Adobe found that 85 percent of upcoming and recent graduates are less likely to apply for a job if the salary is not disclosed.[1]

Legal pressures also seem to be changing, with the UK government announcing that it will launch a voluntary pay transparency scheme, encouraging companies to display salaries in all of their job ads to help close the gender pay gap.[2]  Obviously with the looming elections this may no longer come to fruition, however I hope the next incumbent in number 10 takes a look at the benefits of salary transparency and considers the benefits this scheme could bring.

Kerrie Richards, director of GCA, explains:

“Salary transparency is not necessarily a new trend, or one that is solely being directed by Gen Z. If you look at the statistics from various job boards, pretty much all will say that advertising without a salary will vastly reduce your application rate, regardless of age.

“While we appreciate the reasoning behind not wanting to advertise a salary, there are plenty of benefits of being more transparent.”

GCA advises that by leaving out a salary in a job advert, companies could be missing out on top talent.

For example, a study found that 54 percent of women feel uncomfortable talking about salary at the interview stage, meaning if this information is available before they apply, the expectations are already clear, making the conversation easier.[3]

It also helps to attract a more diverse workforce, as there is a fairer chance for those who may not be at ease discussing their own salary expectations.

GCA also advises that it can save companies who are recruiting valuable time and effort, as it removes the chance of beginning a process with a candidate whose salary expectations do not align with the advertised job role.

What’s more, embracing salary transparency can build trust among employees, strengthening relationships and reaffirming company culture. It helps managers to have conversations around career development, while providing clear expectations.

Richards added:

“Not all companies will adopt this trend overnight, and understandably so. However, the conversation is definitely shifting and therefore we advise companies that before making the decision to include, or not to include, a salary in the advert, perhaps consider their pay data, as quite often, they may find that they offer a competitive advantage in the industry. It’s about finding a balance between what works for a business, and what works for their employees.

So to conclude, by advertising salary you gain:

• 60% more applications
• A more diverse pool of talent
• Transparency within your recruiting process
• Time
• Trust

As previously mentioned advertising salary will not work for all businesses, but hopefully this gives companies who are contemplating some food for thought!

For more top tips on what to include in a job advert, contact GCA: https://glencallum.co.uk/contact-us/

[1] https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/recent-college-grads/

[2] https://www.reed.co.uk/recruiter-advice/whats-next-for-salary-transparency-in-the-uk/

[3] https://www.reed.co.uk/recruiter-advice/whats-next-for-salary-transparency-in-the-uk/