Zety, a career service platform focused on helping individuals improve their resumes and cover letters, has released the findings from its 2025 Pay Gaps and Perceptions Report, shedding light on the ongoing struggles surrounding pay equity, salary transparency, and workplace trust. The survey, which gathered responses from around 1,000 U.S. employees, found that many workers feel underpaid and uncertain about the fairness of their compensation.
Key Findings:
Confidence in Merit-Based Compensation
- Only 55% of employees are very confident that their salary is based on merit and performance rather than gender or other biases.
- 37% report that salary or pay equity discussions rarely occur in their workplace.
Call for Salary Transparency
- 89% of employees say that knowing salary ranges for roles would improve their trust in leadership.
- 88% are open to discussing salary with coworkers or peers, with 55% claiming these conversations have helped clarify fairness or inequities.
Impact on Productivity and Engagement
- 32% of employees believe they are underpaid compared to peers in similar roles and industries.
- 77% say dissatisfaction with their salary has negatively impacted their productivity or engagement at work.
- 67% of employees believe men are more likely to negotiate salary than women, showcasing disparities in negotiation confidence.
Salary Negotiation: Confidence vs. Success
- While 91% of employees feel confident in negotiating their salaries or raises, only 66% report being very successful in those negotiations.
- 94% of employees negotiated their starting salary, with 31% achieving some level of success in their negotiations.
Top Drivers for Salary Negotiations
- 54% of employees felt their initial salary offer was below market value, prompting them to negotiate.
- 30% had research or data to support their negotiations, ensuring they asked for a fair and competitive wage.
- 13% sought to improve their overall compensation, including benefits, while 3% knew others in similar roles were earning more.
Salary Negotiation Resources
- 70% of workers used resources to prepare for salary negotiations, with popular tools including:
- 38% reviewing company salary bands or job postings.
- 37% researching market rates.
- 34% using online salary calculators like Glassdoor and Payscale.
Jasmine Escalera, career expert at Zety, commented: “Employees overwhelmingly support salary transparency, not just as a fairness issue but as a fundamental trust factor. When workers understand how pay decisions are made and see clear, equitable policies in place, it strengthens engagement, motivation, and retention—benefiting both employees and employers alike.”
