More than half of professionals in Belgium feel underpaid and only 40% believe their salary reflects their responsibilities. This growing dissatisfaction is pushing transparency to the top of the agenda. And change is coming: starting 7 June 2026, the EU Pay Transparency Directive will require companies to disclose salary ranges in job ads and ban questions about salary history.
of workers feel underpaid
of workers believe their salary reflects their responsibilities
The era of salary secrecy is over. It's clear that transparency is no longer optional - especially with the EU Pay Transparency Directive marking a turning point: outdated practices like asking about salary history will finally be banned. This isn’t just a legal shift, it’s a cultural one. It’s time to turn compensation into a conversation.
Philippe Dullaert Regional Managing Director, Hays Belgium & The Netherlands
Discover key labour market trends by sector, salaries for hundreds of roles and recruitment dynamics for 2026. Our guide provides insights using not only the experience and the knowledge of our consultants, but also the vision and expectations of more than 550 qualified professionals who participated in our survey.
