Six out of ten Poles ready to disclose salaries, but companies see both opportunities and risks

The question of wage transparency is stirring debate among both employees and employers in Poland. According to the latest “Barometer of the Polish Labour Market” by Personnel Service, six out of ten Polish workers say they are ready to disclose their salaries as part of internal company policies. Meanwhile, 43% of employers support wage transparency in some form, though many apply it only partially.

Both employees and employers recognize potential advantages, such as building greater trust and improving equality, but they also share concerns about the risks, particularly regarding workplace tensions and conflicts.

“The issue of wages reflects not just employee expectations for transparency but also upcoming regulatory requirements,” said Krzysztof Inglot, labour market expert and founder of Personnel Service. “EU Directive 2023/970 introduces obligations for employers, including publishing salary ranges during recruitment and reporting on gender pay gaps. These measures will shift certain aspects of wage transparency from voluntary choices to standard practice, and Polish companies would be wise to approach this proactively, using it as a way to strengthen trust within organizations.”

According to the survey, 61% of Polish employees are open to disclosing their pay under a formal internal transparency policy. While 42% fully support wage disclosure, another 28% would prefer the publication of salary ranges for specific roles. However, 21% believe financial matters should remain private and not be openly discussed within companies.

Among those in favor of transparency, 37% believe it would increase trust within organizations, and 45% think it could help reduce the gender pay gap. Women were more likely than men to see transparency as a way to address pay inequality, with 52% of women holding this view compared to 38% of men. Still, 41% of respondents worry that greater wage transparency could lead to tensions and conflicts, especially in workplaces where differences in pay are perceived as unfair.

Employer views are similarly divided. While 43% of companies already apply official salary ranges, another 43% support the idea of wage disclosure, though often not fully. About 21% favor publishing salary ranges only, and 24% oppose any form of pay disclosure.

Employers’ attitudes often depend on their prior experiences and concerns about how transparency might affect team dynamics. While 44% believe it could improve the company atmosphere and build trust, a third are concerned about potential conflicts. Nearly a quarter (23%) of employers remain undecided on the issue.

“There is a clear shift toward greater salary transparency, but it remains a topic that divides both employees and employers,” Inglot said. “The risk of tensions is real, which is why organizations must carefully prepare for implementing transparency policies. Education, dialogue, and tailoring the approach to each company’s specific context will be essential to make wage transparency not just a legal requirement, but also a meaningful asset.”

The findings are based on a survey conducted via the national Ariadna research panel using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method. The employer sample included 329 companies across small (up to 10 employees), medium (10–49 employees), and large (50–249 employees) enterprises. The survey was carried out between January 20 and 28, 2025.