The report shows that 62% of employers have not yet started adapting to the new rules, which will come into force in the second half of next year, while 22% say they are partially prepared and have begun assessing the impact.
Only 16% already apply a salary transparency policy in their recruitment process.
“Although the topic is no longer new and most employers are aware that implementation is approaching, the share of job ads displaying salaries still doesn’t exceed 40%. The exception is blue-collar roles, where pay is the main argument. For instance, around four in ten listings on eJobs.ro display a salary, compared to seven in ten on iajob.ro, our platform for candidates without higher education,” said Raluca Dumitra, Head of Marketing at eJobs Romania.
When asked how their companies handle pay transparency when posting new roles, 34% said they publish salaries for most openings, 10% do so only for entry-level roles, and 56% do not display them at all.
Concerns among employers remain high: 41.7% fear internal discontent if existing employees learn about salary differences between current and new hires; 21% believe pay details should remain confidential, and 14.6% worry that transparency will make salary negotiations more difficult. Others cite high administrative costs or fear of losing competitiveness in attracting candidates.
Still, many see advantages. “Some employers recognize the benefits of pay transparency, such as building trust with employees and candidates, reducing wage gaps, promoting gender equity, and attracting talent faster,” Dumitra added. According to eJobs data, job ads that include salary information receive up to four times more views and applications than those without.
Even so, 30% of respondents said they see only risks, not benefits, in the directive. However, 66% admit that salary-related messages remain the most effective in employer branding and candidate communication.
The survey was conducted in September among 198 respondents, including HR specialists, department managers, team leaders, and entrepreneurs. The most represented industries were construction, manufacturing, logistics, sales, healthcare, HR/psychology, IT, and banking.