Our Offer

Merities Consulting provides expert-led guidance which simplifies the most challenging aspects of the EU Pay Transparency Directive. We help employers identify what matters most, whether that's implementing job evaluation frameworks, closing internal pay gaps or aligning with evolving legal standards, while avoiding wasted time and effort. Our approach balances compliance with the commercial reality, ensuring organisations are prepared - without over-investing in unnecessary complexity. Clients value our clear thinking, responsive support and deep technical knowledge, which allows them to progress with confidence and speed.   

We work with organisations that want to do the right thing—practically and affordably. As an independent consultancy, Merities offers clients trusted, no-agenda advice grounded in deep experience. From building fair job structures to defining clear pay governance policies, our work is tailored, not templated. We ensure your internal processes can stand up to scrutiny and reflect your values and without the cost of larger firms. Our clients are investing in expertise, clarity and results.    

Pay transparency readiness doesn’t have to mean a full transformation programme. Through fractional support and retained advisory, Merities gives you access to senior-level expertise when and where you need it most. You benefit from our extensive network of reward professionals, proven methodologies, and international insight, without having to commit to complex projects or cross-selling risks. Whether you need rapid diagnostics, board briefings or support with data interpretation, we deliver actionable insights to save time and money.   

Our client, a forward-thinking organisation preparing for upcoming pay transparency legislation, sought our expertise. 

What distinguished this organisation from its competitors was its remarkably low CEO pay ratio. This impressive ratio was achieved by significantly increasing salaries for Individual Contributors, junior positions critical to their success. However, the lack of transparency in pay severely limited their ability to attract top talent who were unaware of the competitive salaries offered.

The initiative was strategically divided into two phases.

Phase one concentrated on developing a rigorous reward structure to ensure transparency and fairness in compensation. This included crafting a relevant job-levelling framework to meet their current and future requirements. Additionally, we conducted a thorough analysis of external and internal salary benchmarks to ensure competitiveness and alignment with their compensation philosophy.

Once the foundational elements were in place, we moved to phase two. We guided them in defining what pay transparency would mean for their organisation. Ultimately, they decided against full disclosure, recognising that such a drastic change could lead to unforeseen complications. Instead, they chose to publish pay ranges and engaged senior managers in a comprehensive change management process, empowering leaders to communicate confidently about the pay factors when approached by employees.

While crafting a tailored approach took time, the results of their commitment to pay transparency were remarkable.

They quickly noticed an uptick in the quality of candidates applying, particularly those with the right skills, qualifications, and genuine passion for their specialist industry.

Moreover, enhanced employee relations were evident, particularly around trust, significantly enriching their positive and supportive workplace culture.