Just days before the deadline for EU member states to transpose the Salary Transparency Directive into their national laws (June 7, 2026), more than a third of Spanish companies admit they are not fully prepared to comply with the rules.
And as companies race against the clock, Spanish workers report a double shortcoming: on one hand, 34% feel that their pay does not reflect the value of their work (five points above the European average, 29%), and on the other, 77% are unaware of the Directive’s existence and what it means for their rights. This is confirmed by the SD Worx HR & Payroll Pulse 2026 survey, a leading European provider of HR solutions, conducted among 5,936 HR leaders and 16,500 employees across 16 European countries (including Spain).
Spanish companies, between declared confidence and actual readiness
The EU Salary Transparency Directive aims to close the gender pay gap, requiring companies to be transparent about salaries and to act on unjustified pay differences. Companies with more than 100 employees will have to report periodically on this issue.
In Spain, 64% of companies say they are fully prepared to meet the regulation, slightly above the European average (62%). However, 9% of Spanish executives say they have taken almost no action and 26% are in partial compliance, placing more than one in three firms at risk as the deadline approaches.
The preparation claimed by companies does not translate into visible actions for employees. Only 19% of Spanish organizations offer concrete salary transparency tools, such as internal equity dashboards or accessible pay bands. This figure barely varies by company size, with 16% among small firms (fewer than 100 employees) and 21% among large ones (more than 1,000).
The majority of Spanish workers do not know their new rights
Although the Directive will grant employees the right to know their own pay and the average pay of peers in equivalent roles (broken down by gender), 77% of Spanish workers are unaware of the regulation and what it means for their rights. Spain thus records one of the lowest levels of awareness in Europe, with only 23% of employees informed versus the 34% European average.
This lack of awareness shows that pay transparency is advancing more quickly in HR departments than in the day-to-day experience of workers.
The gap between what companies believe and what employees feel
Spain’s workers have a more negative view of their pay than the European average. Only 37% feel that their pay is fair, compared with 44% across the continent. And only 43% feel that their compensation is equitable compared with colleagues in similar roles within their organization.
By contrast, the company perspective is quite different. 64% believe they pay their employees fairly, a gap of more than 20 points versus workers’ perceptions.
Regarding the commitment to pay equity, 59% of Spanish companies say they regularly review their pay data to identify and address potential gaps. However, only 39% of employees perceive a real commitment from their organization to close these inequalities, a figure that drops to 38% among women versus 40% among men.
Salary transparency to attract and retain talent
The study confirms that salary transparency has become a decisive factor in Spaniards’ job decisions. 69% of workers consider it important or very important when choosing or staying with a company, five points above the European average (64%).
The expectation of change is especially notable among Spanish women, with 62% expecting salary transparency to increase in the coming years, versus 55% of men. Both figures are above the European average.
Among payroll investment priorities for 2026, salary transparency initiatives (gap analysis, clear payrolls, employee information) rank highly for Spanish companies (21%), slightly above the European average (19%), along with improving payroll data cybersecurity (21%) and employee self-service solutions (22%).
Beyond regulatory compliance
With the deadline of June 7 just around the corner, transposition into national laws is expected to vary by country, and many organizations are still awaiting concrete details. However, companies can act now by collecting, analyzing, and comparing compensation data to quickly identify potential gaps and take concrete actions.
“Spanish companies must start with the basics; ensure a clear job structure, transparent pay criteria, and well-defined pay bands,” says Carlos Pardo, CEO of SD Worx Spain. “It is also essential to review key HR processes, such as recruitment, promotions, and performance evaluations, and identify risks. We must go beyond mere regulatory compliance and build a sustainable, credible pay policy that earns trust and makes employees feel they are treated fairly. Companies that prioritize transparency today will gain a clear competitive edge in the war for talent.”
