In today’s recruitment landscape, one question that has sparked debate is whether a salary should be displayed in job advertisements. In general the membership and association sector tends to display salaries more often than not, but some organisations remain cautious and have clear policies not to. At MemberWise Jobs, we believe this conversation deserves thoughtful attention, especially in our sector where values and trust are often important driving factors in our activities.
Reasons for displaying the salary
Shows transparency and clarity
Job seekers appreciate clarity from the start, and research shows that up to 91% of applicants consider salary a key factor when deciding to apply (LinkedIn, 2023). Displaying pay also avoids mismatched expectations and fosters honest engagement from the outset.
Supports fairness and equity
Salary visibility can reduce inequalities and level the playing field, especially for groups underrepresented in leadership or negotiation spaces, by standardising pay rates across similar roles.
Improves application rates
Roles with listed salaries receive significantly more applications. According to Reed.co.uk, the difference can be as high as 60%, demonstrating that sharing salary attracts both interest.
Reduces wasted time for candidates and hirers
Not displaying the salary makes guess work for potential candidates and they may see the value of the role differently. Candidates take time to prepare an application and submit it, this needs to be reviewed with the potential of finding out they both have different expectations.
Reasons an organisation may not display the salary
Flexibility in offers
Some organisations prefer to tailor remuneration based on experience or budget. Publishing a fixed amount can make the focus on the salary which can make it restrictive and reduce negotiation according to (figures.hr).
Internal comparisons and sensitivities
Visible salaries might surface discrepancies across current roles which may lead to disagreements and disruption. This could also lead to a significant and time-costly review of pay structures internally before going public.
External visibility and inflation impacts
In some industries disclosure opens up competitor knowledge which can increase counter offer leverage. Hirebee.ai suggest that in turn it can spark disproportionate inflation and uplifts.
MemberWise Jobs’ Position
In the interests of objectivity we have attempted to balance this article with considerations from both perspectives, however, at MemberWise Jobs we strongly encourage employers to display the salary in job ads. We recognise that organisations must honour their own policies and contexts, but we also believe our sector tends to be values led and should exercise this in all aspects. That said roles are advertised with or without salaries displayed at the discretion of the client and we hope that whatever they choose it benefits both the candidate and the employer.
