Nearly eight in ten Belgian SMEs lack a clear understanding of the implications of the new European directive on salary transparency, according to HR services provider SD Worx.
EU member states, including Belgium, must translate the directive into national legislation by 7 June 2026.
The directive, which came into effect on 6 June 2023, already outlines basic principles and actions for employers to prepare.
Only one in five SMEs is fully informed about the future requirements for salary transparency, according to SD Worx.
Nearly half (46%) have heard of the directive but are unclear about its details, while around one-third (32%) are completely unaware. Overall, 78% of Belgian SMEs admit to not understanding the directive fully.
Currently, three-quarters of Belgian SMEs communicate salary details with some degree of transparency during recruitment. Of these, 42% disclose the salary at the first contact, while 34% share the information later in the recruitment process.
One in five SMEs remains less transparent. In 16% of cases, salary details are only provided when the contract is signed, while 4% disclose this information only if requested by the candidate.
SD Worx highlighted that while salary disclosure during recruitment is a good starting point, companies should also be ready to explain their salary policies transparently within the organisation, based on objective criteria.
Despite half of SMEs claiming to meet this requirement, only one in four workers confirms this is the case.
The findings are based on a September survey by SD Worx involving 523 Belgian SMEs, complemented by a separate poll of 1,000 Belgian workers.
