Salary transparency in PR shouldn’t be radical

In an industry that talks so much about inclusivity, accessibility and improving diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), there’s a certain paralysis that has long plagued jobseekers: the ‘competitive’ salary. Present on most job ads in the industry, the justification is often to cast the net wide and attract the biggest catch of talent. But the reality could not be more different. 

Our Latte’s 2025-26 UK PR Salary Guide found that 84% of PR talent would assume job ads without a salary are paying lower than the market rate (yes, lower). Meanwhile 53% of PR professionals ranked salary transparency and pay equity as the number one issue the industry needs to tackle, above things like flexible working, mental health support, and sustainability. That’s a wake-up call employers cannot ignore. 

The issue with ‘competitive’ salaries

The vague and broad ‘competitive salary’ has become a default, catch-all phrase for employers that can’t - or won’t - share specifics. It’s often not intentional, but it is careless and tied up in bigger issues. 

Many organisations want to improve DEI, yet they worry about getting it wrong or being tokenistic. This fear can create paralysis, even on something as simple as showing salaries on job ads. 

Not showing the salary on job ads is a small action with big impact. It leaves so much room for unconscious bias to rear its head in hiring, resulting in further pay inequalities within teams and across the industry. 

When salary ranges aren’t clear, candidates and employers enter negotiations with mistrust. Those with strong negotiation skills may walk away with better deals, while others, especially quieter or less confident candidates, get left behind. It’s an unfair system that undermines the diversity efforts being made across the industry. 

The benefits of transparent salaries

When salaries are transparent from the get-go, trust is built from day one. Candidates won’t waste hours applying for roles that don’t meet their salary expectations, and employers won’t waste resources chasing talent they can’t afford to pay (because let's face it, sometimes it is about the money). 

Putting all your cards on the table from the beginning may feel daunting but it immediately communicates a culture of trust and honesty. You can negotiate within a salary band - especially with a strong, output-based framework. 

Beyond attracting the right candidates, it helps retain existing employees. Transparency levels the playing field, closing pay gaps within existing teams. It shifts conversations away from years of experience and towards real value. With clear benchmarks and frameworks, unconscious bias is eliminated, and the conversations around who earns what and why becomes rooted in output and skill rather than gender, personality or ethnicity. 

How to make the shift towards salary transparency

If you’re ready to commit to salary transparency immediately, great. But most companies will have internal politics and pay gaps to address. You’ll need a plan of action to make the shift successfully: 

• Do an audit of your current team: Understand your current salary data and disparities before making changes or commitments. You can’t make change without a solid foundation of knowledge.
   
• Create a salary benchmarking framework: This should be based on skills and output rather than years in a role. Regularly review and update this framework as the industry evolves (use a reliable salary guide to support this process). This can be used to interview where new and existing talent should sit within your salary bands. 
   
• Make a gradual commitment to transparency: If a full salary overhaul isn’t possible immediately, consider publishing ‘from’ and ‘up to’ salary bands as a first step. Get involved with organisations that support salary transparency to promote your commitment like We Show the Salary. 

Salary transparency is a necessity for building an industry that’s fairer, more inclusive, and stronger for everyone. It’s an effort, but one worth making if you want to attract (and retain) top talent. 

Dean Connelly is the founder of Latte Recruitment. He previously wrote Is your client base a turn-off for top talent? for Influence.

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