Yes absolutely! Often organizations want employees to desire work for other reasons other than pay, such as career advancement and a positive work environment. While These are great reasons to choose a company and should be factors when making your choice, at the end of the day everyone work’s to pay their bills and enjoy life outside of work. Salary is the top contributor to a positive work life balance and being able to rest so you can get back to enjoying work.
Yes they absolutely should. Candidates are looking for a number of things from a new position but salary is definitely at the top of the list. It is a need and not just a nice to have like some other elements of the job. I have been in the position before where I applied to a job, it was a great fit, they were interested in my skill set and offered me the job, and I would have taken it, but the offered salary was way too low for me to even consider it. They didn’t have the salary in the posting and wouldn’t discuss the salary earlier on in the process. It ended up being a waste of time for them and for me because if I had known the salary sooner, I wouldn’t even have applied. It doesn’t do anyone any favours to keep it secret and just wastes valuable time in finding the right candidate.
Yes I agree that salary ranges should be posted. It not only wastes the candidates time but also wastes the company’s managers time when reaching out to applicants and interviewing candidates to then find out that they turn down the job due to the wage offered at or after the interview. The only company’s that oppose this idea are those companys who have an unfair wage progression system in place for their current employees.
Having come through a job transition just recently, I can say while looking, I avoided a number without them. The few I did apply for were a waste of time based on my expectation. I never thought of the other side though. That would be so tedious to sit through so many interviews or conversations by email just to not hire someone due to something as simple as a difference in expectation of wage.
Of course salary ranges should be included in job postings. A job is a business transaction, with the exchange of compensation for services. There’s always (or sometimes?) a bigger picture including company culture, but end of the day, money is required to live your life–including this data in job postings allows potential employees to make an informed decision on whether to apply or not, & can save so much time for all parties involved.
Posting salary ranges can be helpful to those applying for a position but be sure to talk about the Total Compensation picture as well. Some companies have profit sharing, time in lieu programs, healthcare spending programs and mentor programs. A job is just not “money” only. Both the employee and employer need to find a good fit for each other.
Absolutely! I was very glad to hear that, in Ontario, job postings must now include compensation range information per the Employment Standards Act Part III.3: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/00e41#BK13
I don’t believe in a “should” approach, but in doing what’s best to achieve the desired outcome. As a strong advocate for transparency and equitable pay, I’ve seen firsthand how pay transparency contributes to organizational success. However, many organizations lack the internal capacity to establish an equitable pay system.
When legal regulations mandate salary ranges in job postings, companies are compelled to examine their pay practices and consider equity and market alignment. Some embrace this opportunity to become better employers, while others seek loopholes to maintain their status quo.
Publicly shared salary ranges alone won’t solve the problem. A wide range, like $70,000 to $130,000, can attract candidates at various experience levels. A senior candidate expecting $120,000 to $130,000 might be disappointed to learn the target salary is $70,000. This doesn’t save time, reduce the gender pay gap, or align compensation with market rates.
Ultimately, organizations have a choice to adopt best pay practices or strive towards them, or do nothing at all. Education and case studies emphasizing the benefits of pay transparency can be more effective than mandated salary ranges in job postings. People, not regulations, drive change. A shift in perspective can lead to better outcomes.
