For years, candidates have been encouraged to apply for jobs advertised with phrases such as “competitive salary”, “salary dependent on experience” or simply “excellent package”.
But what does that actually mean? And why should someone invest time applying for a job, preparing for an interview and potentially taking time off work, without knowing whether the salary is anywhere near what they are looking for?
That could soon change.
The UK Government has announced plans to introduce legislation requiring employers to publish salary information in job advertisements. Where a role isn’t advertised publicly, employers would need to provide the pay information in writing before the interview.
It’s a move towards greater pay transparency and one I welcome.
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Having worked in recruitment for 25 years, I believe this is about much more than simply putting a salary on an advert. It’s about improving the recruitment process and helping employers find the right people.
Why publishing salaries makes good recruitment sense
It saves everyone’s time
One of the biggest frustrations in recruitment is discovering late in the process that salary expectations don’t match.
An employer might have spent hours reviewing CVs, arranging interviews and meeting candidates, only to discover that their preferred applicant is looking for £5,000 more than the business can offer.
Equally, a candidate may have invested considerable time in an application and interview, only to discover that the salary isn’t financially viable.
Being upfront about pay helps avoid these situations. Candidates can make an informed decision before applying, and employers can concentrate on people whose expectations are realistic.
It helps attract the right candidates
Not everyone will apply for a job advertised as offering a “competitive salary”.
Some candidates will assume the salary is below their expectations. Others simply won’t want to spend time going through a recruitment process without knowing what is on offer.
By publishing a realistic salary, employers give potential applicants a much clearer reason to consider the opportunity.
It also helps attract people who might otherwise overlook the vacancy, including those who are happy in their current job but would consider moving for the right opportunity and package.
Ultimately, the aim isn’t to attract the highest number of applicants – it’s to attract the right applicants.
It builds trust from the outset
Recruitment is about relationships, and trust starts long before someone accepts a job offer.
Being open about salary demonstrates that an employer values a candidate’s time and is prepared to have an honest conversation.
That openness sets a positive tone for the rest of the recruitment process and candidates are more likely to feel that they are dealing with an employer who is straightforward about what they can offer; and if you’re looking to recruit someone who will become a valued, long-term member of your team, that first impression matters.
It supports fairness and equal opportunities
Pay transparency can also help tackle inequalities in the workplace.
When candidates don’t know what a role pays, they may have to negotiate without a clear understanding of what the employer is prepared to offer. This can disadvantage people who are less confident negotiating their salary or who have historically been underpaid.
Publishing salary information gives everyone a clearer starting point and helps candidates make more informed decisions.
It also encourages employers to think more carefully about how salaries are set and whether their pay structures are fair and consistent.
What do the figures tell us?
Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) highlights just how much room there is for improvement.
Its Pay, Performance and Transparency 2024 report, based on a survey of 832 UK HR professionals, reward professionals and senior decision-makers, found that:
- Only 41% of employers always publish salary ranges in external job advertisements.
- Just 18% always publish specific salary figures in external job advertisements.
In other words, most employers aren’t consistently telling candidates what they can expect to earn before they apply.
With the Government now planning to make this a legal requirement, employers will need to start thinking differently about how they advertise vacancies.
A word of caution: transparency needs to be meaningful
While I welcome the proposed changes, I don’t believe simply adding a salary range to an advert will solve everything.
For salary information to be useful, it needs to be realistic.
For example, advertising a role at £25,000–£45,000 without explaining what determines where someone would sit within that range doesn’t necessarily help a candidate make an informed decision.
Employers should be clear about:
- The salary they are genuinely prepared to offer.
- Whether the salary depends on experience, qualifications or specific skills.
- How bonuses, commission and other financial incentives work.
- Whether the advertised range reflects a genuine opportunity for progression or simply a broad budget.
There is another important consideration for employers: reviewing existing salaries.
If you advertise a new position at a higher salary than someone already doing comparable work within your business, it could raise some difficult questions.
This is an opportunity to review pay structures, consider internal fairness and make sure new appointments are consistent with the value and contribution of existing employees.
My advice to employers: don’t wait for the legislation
You don’t need to wait until the law changes to improve your recruitment practices.
Before advertising your next vacancy, take the time to consider what the role is genuinely worth to your business.
Look at the responsibilities, experience and skills required, benchmark the salary against the market and agree what you are prepared to pay.
Then put it in the job advert – Advice on writing job advert here.
At Personnel Placements, we believe successful recruitment starts with understanding what a business needs and finding someone whose skills, experience, expectations and ambitions match the opportunity.
For me, one thing remains true: the best placements happen when expectations match on both sides from the very beginning.
Pay transparency is a positive step towards making that happen.
What do you think? Does publishing salaries make it easier to attract the right people, or do you think there are circumstances where employers need more flexibility?
I’d be interested to hear your views.
Sources:
- CIPD (2024), Pay, Performance and Transparency 2024. Survey of 832 UK HR professionals, reward professionals and senior decision-makers.
- UK Government (November 2026), New ‘Say What You Pay’ law to help young people into work.
- Recruitment and Employment Confederation (November 2026), The Government’s pay transparency plans move forward: what REC members need to know.
