How do we show the salary? A Q&A with Dean Jennings of Pod

Dean Jennings is Talent Manager at EV charging provider Pod – a We Show the Salary sector champion for the energy industry. We asked Dean to tell us more about why showing the salary is an important part of their approach to internal and external recruitment.

Why is being transparent about salaries on job ads important to Pod?

We know it’s important to start from a place of trust. We know what the budget is for the role, and we know what we need for the role, the best thing to do is to share what we know and build trust from the very beginning.

What approach do you take to showing salary info, and why does this approach work well for you?

The approach is simple. We have a sign off process that includes budget sign off for any role, internally and externally, no recruitment process can begin until this is in place and verified. Once it is, that gives you the budget you are working to and as such is included on all internal and external communications against a given role.

To enable a more diverse pool of applicants, you need to focus on those individuals that may otherwise self-select out due to uncertainty, negotiation biases or assumptions made.

How does including salary information on job ads help advance diversity, equity and inclusion across your business?

It’s designed to reduce systemic pay inequities and helps us as a business close gender and racial pay disparities by ensuring our compensation/remuneration packages are as transparent as possible. Including this information at the very beginning of the process builds trust from the beginning, showing candidates that Pod is open, fair and transparent from the get-go. It’s not news that to enable a more diverse pool of applicants, you need to focus on those individuals that may otherwise self-select out due to uncertainty, negotiation biases or assumptions made.

Has showing salaries on job ads had an impact on the organisational culture at Pod?

Of course it has. Showing salaries across all our roles from entry level to C-suite opportunities has ensured that we create a culture of trust and openness as both potential employees and current employees can see Pod acting transparently and fairly. It strengthens what we aim to do as an organisation, to ensure that fairness and psychological safety are at the heart of what we do, therefore reducing uncertainty and the perception of any hidden or biased pay decisions.

We have even seen the transparency improve engagement and morale, as Podders and Potential Podders can clearly understand how pay is determined and feel more confident in organisation decisions.

Showing salaries across all our roles from entry level to C-suite opportunities has ensured that we create a culture of trust and openness as both potential employees and current employees can see Pod acting transparently and fairly.

And how about the recruitment process – what impact does it have on your recruitment team and on people who apply for a role at Pod?

It has had the most positive effect on recruiting for Pod, both from an Employer Value Proposition perspective and candidate feedback.

One of the things I hear most on interviews with candidates, is their thanks for actually showing the salary – it shouldn’t be something people are grateful or thankful for, but they are, and it starts off the interview from a position of trust, allowing the individual to give their all to the role because they know that they aren’t going to be let down at the end of the call by a salary that simply does not work for them, or worst still, waiting for a whole hour or more to ask whether or not there is indeed a salary range in place for the position.

Removing this barrier enables the individual to bring their whole self to the interview, and conversations flow so much better when there isn’t an elephant in the room.

Individuals are navigating one of the most challenging job markets to date, and the one thing that puts great talent off is not knowing whether or not it would be worth applying for a job or not as ‘Salary: Competitive’ could literally mean anything from minimum wage, all the way to hundred of thousands of pounds.

Showing the salary is one of the easiest steps to reinforce the fact that your organisation lives its principles. Actions speak so much louder than words.

What advice would you give to employers who aren’t yet showing salary info on their job ads?

Just do it. Share. The. Salary. You’ve done all that work to get the role approved, signed off and live. Why would you then want to limit yourself, or worse, your pool of applicants by hiding away from the number one thing we are all at work for in the first place, money.

I can guarantee one of your objectives or key results for this year as a recruitment team is to ensure that the process or business supports a more inclusive, equitable and values-driven culture – showing the salary is one of the easiest steps to reinforce the fact that your organisation lives its principles. Actions speak so much louder than words.