Dutch workers not eager about EU wage transparency directive

Employees in the Netherlands are not eager about the European Union’s new Wage Transparency Directive. Many are uncomfortable about the idea of discussing their salary with colleagues, the Telegraaf reports, based on a survey by HR and payroll platform Deel.

The new directive, which takes effect on June 1, obliges companies to ensure that their employees can check whether they earn the same as colleagues doing more or less the same work. The Netherlands expects to implement the new rules on January 1, 2027.

The EU hopes that this transparency directive will help decrease wage disparities and the gender wage gap, in particular. Last year, women in the Netherlands earned an average of 10.5 percent less per hour than men. The directive should also help address other forms of wage discrimination, for example, against immigrants and people with disabilities.

But according to Deel, a majority of Dutch workers are very uncomfortable about the directive. Talking to colleagues about what you earn is still considered taboo. And a majority of employees are critical of the wage transparency directive, according to a survey of 1,100 workers.

The directive also obliges companies to be up front with salary information when filling vacancies. Job seekers must have concrete information about the salary they can expect by the time they reach the first interview.

A recent study by job site Indeed found that only 48 percent of Dutch vacancy listings include any salary information, and these are typically only a vague description such as “competitive” salary, “market-rate,” or “good remuneration.”