Does benefits transparency matter?

It's not a competitive advantage if no one knows about it

My friend is interviewing for a product manager job.

She wasn’t looking - they reached out to her. As she progresses through the interviews, she’s getting more excited about the role, and is beginning to seriously consider the possibility.

But there’s one problem: my friend is expecting a baby. And the company doesn’t publish its parental leave policy.

Does she have to ask for it?

She asked the recruiter to send over the benefits information, and he did, but it doesn’t describe the parental leave policy in any useful detail.

The only way for her to learn how parental leave works at this company is to specifically ask for it, which may (effectively) reveal her private medical information.

And, basically, I argue that’s unfair.

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Pay transparency is about compensation and benefits

It’s more than just complying with salary range disclosure requirements.

Pay transparency is about breaking down the information asymmetry between worker and employer, and that includes how your benefits work.

Whether it’s parental leave, prescription drugs, or remote work policy - burying this information puts your candidates in the uncomfortable position of having to dig for it or ask how it works. And for many people, benefits are equally if not more important than knowing a pay range.

Consider making your benefits policies easier to access for candidates.

Otherwise, you may be alienating talented people like my expecting friend without evening knowing it.

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