One in three workers believe they earn less than their peers in similar roles and industries.
“Many employees are questioning whether their pay reflects their true worth,” according to a new report from the career service Zety. “Salary dissatisfaction is affecting workplace engagement, and while confidence in negotiation is high, success rates suggest room for improvement.”
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Among the key findings of the research:
- Only 55% of employees feel very confident that their salary is based on merit and performance rather than gender or other biases.
- Nine in 10 say knowing salary ranges for roles in their organization would improve their trust in leadership.
- Eight-eight percent are open to discussing salary with coworkers or peers, and 55% say these conversations have helped clarify fairness or inequities.
- More than three-fourths say dissatisfaction with their salary has negatively affected their productivity or engagement at work.
- Two-thirds believe men are more likely to negotiate salary than women.
“Employees overwhelmingly support salary transparency, not just as a fairness issue but as a fundamental trust factor,” said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at Zety. “When workers understand how pay decisions are made and see clear, equitable policies in place, it strengthens engagement, motivation and retention, benefiting both employees and employers alike.”
Employees could benefit from improved transparency when negotiating salary. Although 94% of employees say they negotiated their salary at their current or most recent job, only two-thirds report being very successful in doing so, while 31% were somewhat successful. More than half believe their initial salary offer was below market value. Workers who do their homework are better prepared to negotiate fair compensation.
“Knowledge is power when it comes to salary negotiations,” the report said. “Employees who leverage research tools gain a competitive edge in securing fair compensation. By leveraging salary data, advocating for pay equity and improving negotiation strategies, workers can take proactive steps toward fair compensation and stronger workplace trust.”
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Alan Goforth
Alan Goforth is a freelance writer in suburban Kansas City. In addition to freelancing for several publications, he has written a dozen books about sports and other topics.
