What an inspiring afternoon we shared at the stunning Danish Architecture Center on June 11, where this year’s HR Connect took place. We welcomed organizations from both Denmark and Skåne (Sweden) for an afternoon filled with talks, workshops, and mingling on the terrace. 

Our very own Casper L. Sørensen, Key Account Manager in Copenhagen, kicked things off and introduced the main topic of the day — the Pay Transparency Directive — by sharing the fact that 75% of employers are unprepared for the upcoming pay transparency laws set to take effect by 2026. 

Casper also pointed out a growing trend in Denmark, where many younger professionals are already sharing their salary data on social media to highlight inequalities and offer tips on salary negotiation. This indicates that a large part of the workforce is already aligned with the transparency the directive demands, and that employers will need to find intuitive, clear ways to present pay data in a way that attracts and retains young talent. 

The second speaker, Konstantinos Karavidas from IKEA/INGKA, shared how IKEA has been working with pay transparency since 2013. Their goal is to close pay gaps, recognizing that since pay decisions are made throughout the employee journey, managers have many opportunities to address disparities. He emphasized that unequal pay can’t be justified, summing up his approach with: “Pay transparency and equal pay are not about compliance — it’s about doing the right thing.” 

Following him, Joakim Rosdahl, CPO at Sysarb, added: “Equal work deserves equal pay. And for equal pay, you need transparency.” He explained that for transparency to work, data must be communicated, analyzed, and structured — it all depends on having the right architecture in place. 

Next up was Sanne Pedersen, Product Marketing Manager at Benifex, who shifted the perspective from legal requirements to employee experience. She highlighted that 68% of employees would switch jobs for more salary transparency, even if the salary remained the same, and 46% of job seekers won’t even apply for a role that lacks salary information.  

That’s partly why we’ve developed a new Pay Transparency module — to meet the needs of both employers and employees, and of course to comply with the upcoming EU Pay Transparency Directive. 

The afternoon concluded with a session led by Laurina Qvarnström, Benefit Advisor & Developer at Benifex. She shared early insights from our latest (yet unpublished) report, showing that while many employers are trying to meet the employees’ needs, employees don’t always feel the impact. Some companies offer too much, leaving employees overwhelmed by benefits and information. Others aren’t fully aware of what actually motivates their teams. 

For example: 85% of employees say that benefits and rewards are crucial when deciding whether to stay with their current employer. At the same time, 68% of employers believe employee expectations around benefits have risen to unprecedented levels. At the very top of the list of benefits that drive employee loyalty and wellbeing is flexible work arrangements — regardless of country or generation. 

The session also included roundtable discussions with questions like: 

• Which benefits are most requested in your organization? 

• How can you bridge the gap between what you offer and what employees actually value? 

Last on stage was Joel Heister, our CEO of the Nordics. He wrapped up the day by reminding us that while a lot is happening in our industry, we’ve been here before. New regulations and shifts are nothing new — the key is to have a clear structure and a solid strategy. And above all: start with the basics. 

See you next year!