The European Union adopted a directive a few years ago that requires wage transparency across member states. Simply put: employers must make salaries clearer, include pay ranges in job ads, and employees have the right to ask about average wages for the same role—including broken down by gender.
Many are already uneasy about this. I hear the arguments:
“It just breeds jealousy.” “It breaks the team apart.” “Salary is a private matter.”
I get it. We’ve grown up in a culture where money is a taboo topic, so revealing our paychecks will definitely feel awkward—especially for those who felt safe in the shadows. But honestly, I believe this discomfort is exactly what we need.
As Long as Money Is Taboo, We Can’t Openly Address Abuses
Talking about salary is still almost taboo here. It’s like we should be ashamed if we earn well—and even more so if we don’t. But salary is simply the result of a transaction. We give time, knowledge, and energy; in return, we get paid. There’s nothing mysterious or unethical about that. So why whisper about it?
Keeping it secret maintains a system where unfair differences can easily happen without anyone knowing. The gender pay gap isn’t because women work less hard. It’s because the system often prices the same work differently without anyone noticing.
I’d been working as a copywriter for over ten years when a chance conversation revealed that my male colleagues were charging up to ten times more than I was on some projects. Ten times. Not because they were better or more experienced—just because they started from different expectations, thought differently about what was “reasonable,” and maybe negotiated with more confidence.
If I’d known this earlier, I’d probably be in a very different place today—more savings, more freedom, fewer compromises.
Wage Transparency Can Prevent Exactly These Situations
Not because everyone will earn the same. But because unjustified differences become visible. And once something is visible, it can be addressed.
Many worry that transparency will create tension at work. I think the tension is already there—just hidden. Many probably suspect they’re underpaid, but can’t prove it. They can’t negotiate effectively because their employer knows all the factors, but they don’t.
So yes, some people will get upset by the new system. Those who have been earning more than their performance justified. Or those who knew a colleague earned less but had no reason to speak up. Transparency is uncomfortable because it holds up a mirror.
But maybe that’s exactly the best thing that can happen to us.
Because in the long run, fairness doesn’t destroy trust—it builds it. And workplaces with clear pay principles have less guessing and more honest conversations. And honestly, isn’t that the kind of place we all want to work?
