New report highlights pay transparency as essential to retention
More than half of employees would consider quitting if their salary concerns go unanswered, according to new research that positions pay transparency as a make‑or‑break factor in retaining staff.
A global survey of more than 6,200 white‑collar professionals by HR and payroll firm Remote found that around 56% of respondents would be prepared to look for another job if they raised a pay issue with the appropriate person and were dissatisfied with the response.
This includes 33.43% of respondents who said they would be likely to consider resignation if their pay concerns were not addressed, and 22.11% who described themselves as very likely to seek an alternative role.
The findings indicate that even where headline pay satisfaction is relatively high, employers risk losing talent if they fail to create clear and open channels for discussing compensation.
"Pay conversations in the workplace are often seen as uncomfortable or even inappropriate," said Barbara Matthews, chief people officer at Remote.
"But silence only breeds inequity and disengagement. When organisations encourage open, honest discussions about compensation, they set the foundation for a truly transparent pay culture."
Pay satisfaction masks strain
The issue of pay transparency becomes even more complicated when the report shows that many employees appear satisfied with their current salary.
But with living costs still rising in many markets, 25% of respondents say a static salary would force them to make significant cutbacks, and 18% say they would struggle to cover basic expenses such as rent and groceries.
Only 15% believe they could comfortably maintain their standard of living while continuing to save or invest.
"Feeling fairly paid today doesn't guarantee that’ll hold tomorrow," Matthews said. "Maintaining an open dialogue around compensation is so important because it shows employees their needs and concerns are genuinely being heard."
Pay transparency as cultural fault line
Pay transparency is a movement growing worldwide, with more employers starting to include pay rangers in their job postings.
But the research underscores that transparency is about more than publishing pay bands. It touches on whether employees feel safe raising sensitive topics and whether managers are equipped and willing to respond.
According to the report, just over half of employees feel comfortable discussing pay with their employer.
However, 40% still feel uneasy, and about 14% say they would not feel at all comfortable asking for a raise.
“If four in ten employees don't feel comfortable asking for a pay raise, we have a culture problem,” said Matthews. "When people can talk honestly about pay, trust grows and inequities shrink."
Younger workers also tend to be more open about salaries, while women remain less likely than men to raise salary concerns, according to the report.
"We need to take pay conversations out of the 'shadows' and focus on open, ongoing dialogue rooted in transparency and global equity. When done right, pay transparency becomes a powerful driver of a high-performance culture, motivating employees and teams to pursue ambitious goals and deliver outstanding results," Matthews said.
In order to create a transparent pay culture, Remote outlined the following tips:
- Design fair, scalable global compensation
- Streamline payroll while staying compliant
- Offer benefits that matter
- Integrate disparate workflows
- Communicate openly and consistently
- Continuously review and benchmark
"When payroll is accurate, timely, and clearly communicated, it builds trust. And when employees feel safe asking questions about their pay, you create a culture of accountability on both sides. That's how you move beyond compliance to real fairness, and a workforce that feels motivated and valued," Matthews said.
