1. Introduction
The Pay Transparency Workshop provides organizations with a comprehensive overview of the EU Pay Transparency Directive, existing national reporting requirements, and the foundational principles of fair and consistent pay setting. It also introduces the Pay Transparency Assessment (PTA) Model — a structured framework used to evaluate an organization’s readiness for transparent, equitable, and regulation-compliant pay practices.
The workshop combines regulatory education, compensation strategy, and practical exercises in understanding job evaluation, pay setting, and transparency requirements.
2. About Sysarb
Sysarb is a global provider of compensation and pay equity solutions with over 20 years of experience. The company supports more than 600 clients and 10,000 users across 60+ countries, offering a combination of advisory services and technology to help organizations build fair, data-driven pay structures.
PTA Workshop - Europe
3. Key Workshop Components
The workshop is built around three core parts:
EU Pay Transparency Directive – Key Takeaways
Existing Pay Gap Reporting Requirements (per country)
Interactive Workshop: Understanding Pay Setting using the MIA Model
4. EU Pay Transparency Directive – Summary
Purpose of the Directive
The aim is to strengthen the principle of equal pay for equal work or work of equal value for men and women.
PTA Workshop - Europe
A. Transparency Towards Candidates
Key requirements:
Job applicants must be informed of the salary range for the position.
Employers may not ask candidates about their current or past salary.
Practical implications:
Use recruitment systems that support publishing of accurate salary ranges, levels, and job descriptions.
Train managers in directive requirements and prohibit questions about salary history.
PTA Workshop - Europe
B. Transparency Towards Employees
Employees gain several new rights:
Insight into pay setting and pay progression
Access to information on pay levels within equal and equivalent jobs, broken down by gender
The employer bears the burden of proof in cases of suspected discrimination
Importance of job evaluation:
Analytical job evaluation establishes the numerical value of roles and determines whether different jobs have equal value. Jobs with the same value must have equal remuneration.
(ILO Equal Pay Introductory Guide cited within the workshop.)
PTA Workshop - Europe
C. Transparency Towards the State / Public
Employers must:
Publicly disclose pay gaps
Conduct a joint pay assessment if gaps exceed 5% and cannot be justified
Address gaps unless gender-neutral factors explain them
Organizations must prepare for how transparency will impact employer branding, retention, and recruitment.
PTA Workshop - Europe
5. Existing Pay Gap Reporting Requirements in Europe
The workshop provides examples from countries such as:
Sweden – Discrimination Act
Mandatory yearly documentation for all companies with 10+ employees
Additional yearly gender pay gap reporting for companies with 150+ employees
Reporting includes:
Job evaluation criteria
Analysis of work of equal value
Analysis of gaps between female- and male-dominated jobs
Measures taken or proposed
Ireland – Employment Equality Act
Mandatory publication of gender pay gap data
Reporting includes hourly remuneration, access to benefits, and bonus distribution
PTA Workshop - Europe
Local examples are customized per client.
6. Draft Local Implementation of the Directive
Draft national implementations vary by country. Examples include:
Sweden
Pay ranges required in recruitment
Employees gain the right to information on pay levels and progression
DO (Equality Ombudsman) will publish aggregated KPIs publicly
Employers must address unexplained gaps within 6 months or submit a 3-year action plan
Ireland
Pay ranges on job advertisements
(Additional state-level transparency rules pending.)
PTA Workshop - Europe
7. Key Takeaways from the Legislation
The workshop highlights four critical takeaways:
Start with structure:
Objective job evaluation and consistent grade levels are essential.Analyze both equal and equivalent roles:
The directive requires a mindset shift beyond traditional job title comparisons.Strong pay philosophy:
Organizations must clearly articulate what drives pay internally.Communication:
Transparent pay practices require strong internal communication.
PTA Workshop - Europe
8. Workshop: Understanding Pay Setting (Using the MIA Model)
The MIA model explains the three key drivers of pay:
M – Market: External competitiveness and salary benchmarks
I – Individual: Performance, skills, and experience
A – Assignment (Job): Job complexity, responsibility, and value determined through job evaluation
The workshop uses this model to demonstrate how transparent, consistent pay setting works in practice.
PTA Workshop - Europe
9. PTA Matrix – Structure, Information, Communication
The PTA Matrix evaluates organizational maturity across three dimensions:
1. Structure (S)
Assesses:
Job architecture
Career paths
Job evaluation practices
2. Information (I)
Assesses:
Accessibility of pay models and structures
Availability of salary information
Whether stakeholders receive correct and complete information
3. Communication (C)
Assesses:
Manager communication about pay setting
Employee understanding of their placement and pay
Transparency around pay structures
Each dimension is rated on a scale:
Sustainable / Low Risk
Moderate Risk
Critical
PTA Workshop - Europe
10. PTA Rating Model
The rating model visualizes an organization’s pay transparency maturity based on:
Presence and quality of pay structures
Whether structures are updated
Whether structures are communicated
Degree of transparency and employee understanding
Coverage of all levels, countries, and pay elements
Examples illustrate what qualifies as:
Sustainable: Fully transparent, globally aligned structures, updated regularly
Moderate Risk: Partial structure, limited communication, inconsistent application
Critical: No structure, secrecy around pay, lack of communication
PTA Workshop - Europe
11. PTA Findings and Recommendations
The workshop concludes with a customizable findings and recommendations section:
Findings categorized as Sustainable, Moderate Risk, or Critical
Recommendations categorized as:
Keep (practices performing well)
Review (areas needing improvement)
Change / Address (critical gaps to fix)
PTA Workshop - Europe
These outputs help clients prioritize actions for compliance, fairness, and transparency.
12. Summary
The Pay Transparency Workshop gives organizations a structured understanding of the EU Pay Transparency Directive, local reporting obligations, and the foundations of equitable pay setting. Through the MIA model, job evaluation principles, and the PTA Matrix, companies can assess their current state, identify risks, and build a roadmap toward sustainable, transparent, and regulation-proof pay practices.