Employers are facing significant challenges in implementing pay transparency, particularly when navigating multiple regulations across jurisdictions. Varying legal requirements make it difficult to establish a consistent approach, increasing administrative complexity and the risk of non-compliance.
Many organisations also struggle with knowing where to begin—whether to focus on internal equity, external benchmarking, or clearer communication with employees. A further challenge lies in managing the risks associated with transparency, including potential tensions if disparities are revealed or if employees misunderstand the context behind pay decisions.
Despite these complexities, the benefits of greater transparency are substantial. A well-structured approach fosters trust, strengthens employee engagement, and supports efforts to close pay gaps. It also enhances an employer’s reputation, making it more attractive to prospective candidates. With careful planning and clear communication, businesses can navigate these challenges successfully, ensuring transparency works to the benefit of both employees and the organisation as a whole.
Our workshops are designed to provide exceptional value by equipping employers with the insights and tools needed to navigate all requirements effectively. They ensure organisations are not only compliant with their intended level but also well-prepared for the long-term challenges of embedding processes and managing pay transparency governance.
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By creating robust and gender-neutral job levelling structures and pay audits to uncover pay discrepancies, we provide clear recommendations to address them, ensuring equitable compensation across an organisation.
We help you develop and document policies which show employees how pay decisions are taken, building trust and minimising risk.
We also align pay equity within your reward governance approaches.
Our communication materials and training for managers, Workers’ Representatives and HR supports them in confidently discussing pay structures with employees. Implementation of pay transparency is a significant change project and we guide you to reduce any misunderstandings. .
We provide ongoing support to adapt to changes and help leadership align on fair pay practices, making sure transparency and equity are integral to their workplace culture.
With guidance and support from Merities Consulting, employers get more than a checklist — they get clear guidance and a partner to create a compliant and equitable more attractive workplace that reflects both employer and employee needs. .
We are developing a suite of tools and guidance documents to help organisations ensure they are compliant with the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
Our client, an organisation in a location with upcoming pay transparency legislation, asked for support.
What was unusual about this organisation, compared with others in their sector, was that the CEO pay ratio (the CEO’s pay relative to the median of all other employees’ pay) was around 3:1. For context, in 2023, the average CEO-to-worker pay ratio for S&P 500 companies was 268-to-1. Their ratio was predominantly achieved by uplifting the salaries of employees in Individual Contributor (junior) roles. Without pay transparency, they struggled to find the calibre of candidates needed to move the organisation forward. Applicants had no idea of the above average pay levels available.
The project had two parts.
The first was concentrating on creating a solid reward structure and basis on which to ensure pay was transparent and equitable. This involved developing a relevant job levelling structure which served their immediate and anticipated needs. They also wanted to look at external and internal salary benchmarks to ensure competitiveness and alignment with their compensation philosophy,
Once the foundations were in place, we moved onto the second part. We supported them in determining what pay transparency would mean for them. They considered (and dismissed) going for full disclosure. It was too big a step and potentially likely to trigger other, unanticipated issues. They moved forward by publishing ranges and ensuring engagement with senior managers, through a change management process. They ensured their leaders understood and could explain the determinants of pay when asked.
It took time to develop a personalised approach for them but they were delighted with what pay transparency was able to achieve.
They immediately noticed an improvement in the calibre of candidates they could attract, especially those with the skills, qualifications and deep interest in their sector.
They also noticed that employee relations, especially trust, improved, enhancing their positive and supportive workplace culture.
Merities Consulting developed a clear and detailed roadmap that aligned with our existing internal processes, offering a pragmatic and phased approach to implementation. Rachel's strategic guidance and collaborative approach made a lasting impact on our team.
Natalia Riveryo, VP Head Corporate Compensation & Benefits
Merities Consulting prepared several materials that shaped our understanding of pay transparency, aiding in communication and recruitment discussions. These were instrumental in helping us frame our compensation philosophy clearly and consistently both internally and externally.
Matthew Brisbin, Finance Manager
Among the many strengths of Rachel, we would like to mention her exemplary team spirit and her ability to actively support good, positive cooperation. She proved to be a competent, service-oriented contact partner, who precisely discerned specific client needs.
Nicholas Long, VP Human Resources
Merities Consulting is an official Implementation Partner for gradar. This equips us to support employers build and refine their job levelling and job architecture - fundamental requirements to meet the requirements of the EU Pay Transparency Directive.
gradar is a cloud-based Software as a Service. The system collects and interconnects all internal and external job-related data in one location.
We are proud Members of Relocate the Profit.
Merities Consulting is committed to sharing our success with those less fortunate. Since 2023, we have made regular donations to the Livingstone Tanzania Trust.
We are Members of the Pay Transparency Alliance, a coalition of forward-thinking European companies committed to addressing the complexities of Pay Transparency.
The Alliance provides us access to a network of European reward specialists and Reward Saas tool partners we can leverage to provide broader and deeper levels of expertise and capability to our clients.