Workers across several major economies say they are increasingly dissatisfied with their salaries, with many believing they would need a significant pay increase to feel fairly compensated, according to a new international survey.
The study, commissioned by G-P and conducted by Talker Research, surveyed 4,000 employed adults in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Singapore, and Australia between April 21 and April 29, 2026.
It found that 18% of respondents consider themselves severely underpaid and said they would need an average pay raise of 32% to feel satisfied with their compensation.
The survey also found that compensation concerns are closely tied to demands for greater pay transparency, with many workers saying employers should openly disclose salary structures and wage policies.
Workers Push for Greater Pay Transparency
According to the survey, only 34% of workers said their organizations currently practice pay transparency through formal policies or informal disclosure. Employees indicated that transparency has become an important factor when deciding whether to remain with a company or seek employment elsewhere.
Among respondents, 37% said they would advocate for policy changes if their employer failed to support transparency, while 18% said they would leave the company entirely.
The poll further showed that 81% of workers consider pay transparency important. In the United States, 68% of respondents said they believe the federal government should mandate nationwide pay transparency rules.
Many employees also said salary decisions should take into account years of experience, professional skills, geographic location, and local tax systems.
Laura Maffucci, Head of HR at G-P, said employee expectations are changing as companies increasingly hire workers across borders.
“A modern working infrastructure means having employees living in different states and even different countries,” Maffucci said. “But global talent now expects more than just local compliance; they seek a consistent standard of fairness that respects regional context.”
Workers Turn to AI for Pay Equity Concerns
The survey also found growing openness toward the use of artificial intelligence in workplace compensation reviews. About 40% of respondents said AI could help make workplaces fairer in matters involving salaries and compensation.
Meanwhile, 26% said they would trust AI systems more than traditional human resources departments to assess pay equity among workers.
Some respondents argued that AI may be less influenced by internal company politics or personal relationships. Others said automated systems could process larger amounts of compensation data more efficiently than human teams.
Maffucci said AI systems designed specifically for compliance and wage assessment could help employers address sensitive issues more objectively.
“This allows AI to handle the objective heavy lifting, freeing HR to focus on the strategic work that requires human judgment and empathy,” she said.
The survey comes as several countries and regions move toward stricter rules on wage disclosure and equal pay reporting. The European Union’s Pay Transparency Directive is expected to increase pressure on multinational companies to standardize compensation policies across different markets.
Why This Matters
The findings reflect growing worker frustration over wages at a time when many households continue to face high living costs, housing pressures and economic uncertainty. Employees are increasingly demanding not only higher salaries but also clearer explanations about how pay decisions are made.
The survey also suggests that transparency is becoming a major factor in recruitment and retention, especially among younger and internationally connected workers. Companies that fail to address compensation concerns could face higher turnover and greater difficulty attracting skilled employees.
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