56 % of recruiters who believe that if you can’t compete on salary, a big benefits package won’t make up for it.
Make money the plot twist
When money problems get involved in romance, it almost inevitably blows up — like in 10 Things I Hate About You , when Julia Stiles finds out that Heath Ledger was bribed to date her. Or in Leap Year , when Amy Adams finds out that her perfect fiance isn’t enough for her. Salary transparency isn’t required by law in the UK, but almost 70% of UK job postings included salary information in 2025. Studies have shown that including pay information closes 18% of the gender pay gap and leads to more applications from qualified candidates (which after all, is the goal). Which brings us to the interesting part: 56% of recruiters believe that if you can’t compete on salary, a big benefits package won’t necessarily make up for it.
Just like in the movies, candidates appreciate clear, open and honest communication. But, our survey also found that 44% of recruiters do think that a comprehensive benefits package can offset a lower salary range. One report even found that personalised benefits and total rewards frameworks are becoming more important to candidates, especially as they look beyond salary towards perks like flexible working, healthcare benefits, parental leave, and more. So what’s a hiring team to do?
Half of respondents said that they put a higher salary on job ads to encourage more applications.
46 % of recruiters do think that a
comprehensive benefits package can offset a lower salary range.
A match made in hiring heaven...until the numbers don’t add up
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