How do we show the salary? A Q&A with Ella McWilliam of Full Fat

As a founding partner of the We Show the Salary campaign, creative PR and comms agency Full Fat is committed to showing salary information on every job ad, and to encouraging other employers to do the same. We spoke to agency co-founder Ella McWilliam to find out more about why salary transparency on job ads matters to Full Fat and how it connects to the agency’s wider commitments as a B Corp.

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

It comes down to respect. If someone’s going to invest time and energy into applying, we should be upfront about what the role pays – anything else feels outdated and that lack of transparency breeds feelings of distrust, which is never how you want to start a relationship with someone.

More than that, it shifts the balance of power. A lack of transparency tends to favour people with insider knowledge or strong networks. That’s not the kind of industry we want to build. Salary transparency is a simple, tangible way to make things fairer.

We don’t think transparency should live in big statements and nowhere else. Hiring is one of the most important moments a company has – if you’re not open there, it raises questions.

Full Fat has been a B Corp since 2024 – how does showing the salary fit into your wider approach to transparency and accountability, and to delivering positive social impact?

B Corp wasn’t about a badge for us – it’s about how we operate day to day. Salary transparency is a natural extension of that. It ensures we are being held accountable for the things we believe strongly about.

We don’t think transparency should live in big statements and nowhere else. Hiring is one of the most important moments a company has – if you’re not open there, it raises questions. For us, it’s about being consistent: fairer, more inclusive and more honest in how we actually run the business.

What approach do you take to showing salary information on job ads, and why does this approach work well for the agency?

We keep it clear and realistic. We share a defined salary band that reflects where the role will actually land – not a vague range designed to give us flexibility.

Every person at Full Fat knows what their current bracket is and where they could go next, with a clear job description and salary to support that progression.

That clarity sets expectations on both sides. People know if it’s right for them before applying, and we’re having better, more aligned conversations from the start. It’s more efficient, but more importantly, more honest.

We also frame salary within the bigger picture – growth, progression, what success looks like – so it’s not just a number in isolation. Every person at Full Fat knows what their current bracket is and where they could go next, with a clear job description and salary to support that progression.

How can showing salary information help widen access to careers in PR and comms, and support greater diversity across the industry?

PR has historically relied on networks and a lack of transparency reinforces that.

If you don’t know what roles pay, whether you can afford them, or how to negotiate, you’re already at a disadvantage. That uncertainty pushes people out early.

Being transparent also removes some of that friction. It makes the industry easier to navigate for people from different backgrounds – which is exactly what we need if we want it to properly reflect the audiences we’re speaking to.

Has showing salaries on job ads had an impact on organisational culture at Full Fat?

It has, in a good way. It reinforces openness internally as well as externally.

When you’re transparent in hiring, it naturally drives more accountability around pay and progression. It encourages more honest conversations, which builds trust.

We live in a society where it’s frowned upon to talk about money – but why? We all earn money and we all want to earn more money – we should be able to talk about it more transparently.

It also signals what we actually value – adventure, honesty in communication, being human, clarity and curiosity – and that shapes who we attract and who stays.

There’s a fear it will create problems – in reality, it usually just surfaces things that needed fixing anyway. And once you get through that, the upside in trust, efficiency and reputation is significant.

What impact does salary transparency have on the recruitment process - both for your hiring team and for people applying for roles at Full Fat?

It sharpens everything.

We spend less time on misaligned conversations and more time with people who are genuinely a good fit. For candidates, it removes guesswork and anxiety – they can focus on the role and the business, not decoding the salary.

It leads to better conversations and better decisions on both sides.

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

Just start. It doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be honest.

There’s a fear it will create problems – in reality, it usually just surfaces things that needed fixing anyway. And once you get through that, the upside in trust, efficiency and reputation is significant.

If we’re serious about building a more inclusive, modern industry, this is one of the simplest changes we can make.

It’s a no brainer in my eyes.