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Can Public Sector Units (PSUs) Be the Benchmark for Pay Transparency in India?

In the ongoing debate about salary transparency, Public Sector Units (PSUs) in India may hold the blueprint for what fair and transparent pay can look like. While India Inc. has long been accused of opaque pay practices, PSUs offer a contrasting model—structured, published, and universally applied. In 2025, as more private firms grapple with retention, trust, and pay equity, the PSU framework offers lessons worth examining.The PSU Advantage: Structured Pay ScalesOne of the defining features of India’s public sector is its open and standardized pay structure. From the banking sector (like SBI) to energy giants (ONGC, NTPC), compensation is governed by clear pay bands tied to seniority, tenure, and government pay commissions. These salary ranges are publicly available and form part of recruitment advertisements and promotion guidelines.Take LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India) for example. Every year, it releases job postings with explicit salary bands (e.g., ₹53,600 - ₹1,02,090 for AAO roles), allowances, and grade pay. There’s no mystery or negotiation—just transparent frameworks backed by policy. This transparency fosters high levels of internal equity, where employees rarely feel underpaid relative to peers. It also removes bias and pay discrimination from the equation—something the private sector still struggles with, particularly around gender and caste.Retention and Loyalty: The Silent WinsPSUs may not offer the same flexibility or innovation as startups, but they score high on employee loyalty and retention. A 2024 People Matters survey noted that PSUs have an average attrition rate below 5%, compared to 18–25% in private IT and BFSI sectors. Salary transparency plays a quiet but significant role here. When employees know what to expect at each level—and that pay raises are based on tenure or exams—they are more likely to trust the system and stay long-term.Can Private Companies Replicate This?While not all elements of the PSU model are replicable in private businesses (due to market pressures and role diversity), some principles are increasingly being adopted. For instance, Accenture India and HCLTech now have formal pay bands and promotion-linked salary matrices that are accessible to HR and line managers. Employees are gradually being educated about how they progress within those bands. Even startups are taking cues. Razorpay now uses performance-linked compensation frameworks that are explained upfront during onboarding. They also share departmental compensation averages with team leads to avoid internal disparities.Challenges to PSU-Style TransparencyOf course, PSUs are not without flaws. Promotions are often slower, and exceptional performers may feel under-rewarded. In contrast, private companies rely heavily on differentiated compensation to retain top talent—something difficult under a rigid PSU model. Moreover, PSU salaries may lag behind private benchmarks, particularly in high-growth industries like tech or e-commerce. But in terms of equity, fairness, and clarity, the PSU system remains unmatched.Bridging the GapHybrid models are emerging. Companies like TCS and Infosys use pay bands inspired by PSU-like structures, but add performance incentives and market correction flexibility. These blended systems aim to strike a balance—rewarding excellence while maintaining internal equity.ConclusionAs India’s workforce becomes increasingly diverse, informed, and vocal in 2025, the call for transparent and equitable compensation practices has grown impossible to ignore. With rising participation from women, professionals from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, and individuals from varied socio-economic backgrounds, the traditional, opaque salary structures of the private sector are no longer acceptable to a new generation that demands clarity and fairness. In this environment, Public Sector Units (PSUs)—with their long-standing tradition of standardized pay scales, grade-based promotions, and public disclosure—are emerging as a symbol of accountability and equal opportunity. While private organizations operate under different market dynamics, including performance-based pay and competition for niche talent, they can no longer afford to dismiss the PSU model entirely. What they can do, however, is adopt the underlying principle that makes the PSU system so trusted: transparency. This doesn’t mean duplicating government wage structures, but rather building systems where compensation is guided by clear policies, visible benchmarks, and objective criteria.Companies that embrace this hybrid approach—combining the clarity of the public sector with the agility of the private sector—will likely lead the way in talent acquisition and retention. After all, transparency breeds trust, and trust is the foundation of high performance and long-term employee loyalty. In the end, the solution for India’s evolving talent economy may not lie in choosing between public and private approaches, but in blending the best of both worlds. A future where salaries are fair, understandable, and openly communicated isn’t just idealistic—it’s increasingly becoming the expectation of a modern, empowered workforce.Looking for the Right Talent or Your Next Career Move?At Crescendo Global, we specialize in connecting top-tier talent with leading organizations across industries. Whether you're a company seeking skilled professionals or a candidate looking for the perfect opportunity, our expertise in mid to senior level hiring ensures the best match for your success.📩For Employers– Partner with us to find exceptional talent that drives your business forward.💼For Candidates– Explore career-defining roles that align with your skills and aspirations.💬Write to us atindia@crescendogroup.in/+91-83888-50000🔗Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube –@CrescendoGlobal

From Taboo to Trend: How Indian Millennials and Gen Z Are Demanding Salary Transparency

In India’s evolving corporate landscape, one cultural shift is echoing louder than ever—salary transparency. For decades, conversations about pay have been shrouded in secrecy, often considered taboo. But in 2025, Millennials and Gen Z professionals are flipping the script, demanding open dialogue and fair compensation in a way that’s reshaping company policies across the country.A Generational Demand for ClarityMillennials (born 1981–1996) and Gen Z (born after 1997) together make up over 65% of India’s workforce, according to Naukri’s 2024 India Hiring Outlook. These generations bring different expectations to the table—they prioritize purpose, fairness, and transparency over hierarchy or tradition. Salary secrecy, which many associate with inequality and favoritism, doesn’t sit well with this cohort. Platforms like LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and AmbitionBox have become key tools for these generations to crowdsource salary data. In 2025, AmbitionBox reported a 60% increase in users contributing salary reviews year-over-year, with users aged 22–35 making up the majority. The trend is clear: young professionals are not just curious about what others earn—they're actively demanding to know.Transparency and Trust: A Two-Way StreetThis push for openness isn’t just about money—it’s about trust. Gen Z employees in particular are vocal about equity and inclusion. A 2025 report by Great Place to Work India found that companies with transparent pay bands have 30% higher trust scores among employees under 35. Urban Company, a gig-based platform, revamped its partner compensation model in early 2025 following protests and social media backlash. Today, the company publishes clear earning ranges for each service tier, with defined payout formulas and performance metrics accessible to all workers. This change not only reduced attrition by 20% but also enhanced brand loyalty among younger users and professionals.HR’s Response: Adapt or Risk Losing TalentRecruiters and HR leaders are recognizing that transparency is not optional—it’s a competitive necessity. At Swiggy, internal salary benchmarking is now shared with employees twice a year. In 2025, the company launched a “Know Your Pay” initiative that educates employees on how salaries are structured and where they stand on the pay scale. The result? Higher offer acceptance rates and improved employee engagement scores, particularly among tech and product teams. Startups, too, are leaning into transparency to attract Gen Z talent. Companies like Springworks and Zepto now include broad compensation ranges in job postings, a practice that was rare just five years ago. This not only signals honesty but also helps candidates make informed decisions without multiple negotiation rounds.Breaking the Final Barrier: Internal TransparencyDespite progress, one major challenge remains: internal pay visibility. Few companies in India currently allow employees to see peer-level compensation. Fear of resentment or attrition still looms large. However, trailblazers like Zerodha have introduced semi-transparent salary models, where team members can view compensation ranges for each role level, promoting fairness without full disclosure. As Gen Z climbs into management roles, internal pay transparency is expected to increase. These leaders are more likely to design policies that value equity over discretion.Final ThoughtsIn 2025, salary transparency in India has shifted from a radical concept to a generational demand, reflecting a deep transformation in the values of the modern workforce. Millennials and Gen Z—who now form the majority of India's professional population—are no longer content with vague compensation structures or backroom negotiations. Their insistence on openness is not rooted in entitlement or rebellion, but in a genuine quest for fairness, equality, and accountability within the workplace. These generations have grown up in the age of social media, real-time information, and crowdsourced reviews. They’re accustomed to accessing data, comparing offers, and calling out inconsistencies. In this context, salary secrecy feels outdated and unjust—a barrier to equity rather than a tool for managing performance. What they’re really asking for is clarity in how decisions are made, assurance that pay is based on merit and not bias, and a culture where openness is rewarded rather than punished.For organizations, this is a wake-up call. The companies that are resisting this shift are finding it increasingly hard to attract and retain high-potential talent. Conversely, those that embrace transparent pay practices are gaining an edge in employer branding, candidate trust, and internal morale. Salary transparency isn't just about publishing numbers—it's about signaling values. It tells current and future employees: "We respect you enough to be honest with you. We reward you fairly. We hold ourselves accountable."Looking for the Right Talent or Your Next Career Move?At Crescendo Global, we specialize in connecting top-tier talent with leading organizations across industries. Whether you're a company seeking skilled professionals or a candidate looking for the perfect opportunity, our expertise in mid to senior level hiring ensures the best match for your success.📩For Employers– Partner with us to find exceptional talent that drives your business forward.💼For Candidates– Explore career-defining roles that align with your skills and aspirations.💬Write to us atindia@crescendogroup.in/+91-83888-50000🔗Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube –@CrescendoGlobal

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