HR offers to come clean on salaries in bid to promote pay parity

HR professionals are prepared to reveal their own salaries in a bid to eradicate pay inequality, new research has indicated.

A survey of 1,000 workers by talent management consultancy, Hudson, found that six in 10 HR professionals would reveal their earnings to colleagues to achieve pay parity.

Similarly, the survey found that 57% of respondents believe that senior managers should also be made to disclose their salary to staff.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents said that more transparency about pay would reduce the gender pay gap, helping avoid a situation that still sees men paid, on average, 17.2% more than women in the same position.

Two-thirds of male HR practitioners are comfortable about disclosing their annual salary, while just over half (55%) of female HR professionals would do so.

Anthony Pierce, associate director of Hudson, said the gender pay gap was persistent, and businesses that neglected to address it were risking alienating half their workforce.

"Being open about earnings can be motivational," he said. "At successful listed companies, where board executives have to disclose their salaries, such openness can fuel the aspirations - and the performance level - of those employees with an eye on a top job. It can also help a company's retention figures, by contributing to a culture of fairness and honesty."