Job seekers are advocating for companies to include salary information in their job advertisements, but firms are resistant to being compelled to do so. The Czech government is planning to implement a requirement for companies to disclose salaries in job ads, a move that has been generally welcomed by employees but has faced opposition from companies, despite some already voluntarily disclosing salary information.
Last year, the government introduced an action plan aimed at achieving equal pay for women and men between 2023 and 2026, aligning with equal pay regulations for similar positions within the European Union. As part of this plan, companies will eventually be obligated to include salary levels in their job advertisements when hiring new employees. The proposal, which is subject to parliamentary approval, stipulates that companies must disclose wages either as a minimum remuneration or within a specific financial range.
However, certain companies have already begun disclosing salary levels, following a survey conducted by the staffing company Pred Vybor. On the other hand, Kogi CON, a company specializing in building corporate culture, opposes the mandatory disclosure of salaries.
Filip Hurda, the CEO of Kogi CON, argues that mandatory salary disclosure encroaches on companies’ freedom to determine their desired corporate culture. While acknowledging the positive impact of transparency on goals in most companies today, Hurda believes that imposing it in a prescriptive manner is inappropriate. He emphasizes the diversity of corporate cultures and suggests that each company should define its own approach, allowing flexibility rather than imposing a standardized approach.
Jan Nezkusil, a manager at the staffing consulting firm Hays, commented on the study, noting that job ads containing salary information serve a dual purpose: attracting suitable candidates while also filtering out those with salary expectations exceeding the specified amount. However, according to Frantisek Budny, the director of Předvýběr.cz, a survey revealed that when given the opportunity to choose multiple answers regarding the importance of salary levels when accepting a job offer, only 27% of respondents ranked salary as the top priority. The survey indicated that individuals may prioritize non-monetary benefits, interesting work, and a pleasant team over a high salary.
