More employees are preparing to discuss pay with their boss. In a new PwC survey, 39 per cent of Danish respondents say they are likely or very likely to ask for a pay rise within the next year. Last year, the figure was 30 per cent.
At workplaces in Lolland, Guldborgsund and Vordingborg, average pay is around 12 per cent below the national average, according to 2025 figures from Statistics Denmark.
Companies should therefore know where they stand before entering pay negotiations, advises Annette Jensen, partner and Head of HR at PwC Consulting.
- We generally recommend that companies make active use of data in salary negotiations and look at how their company compares with similar businesses, so the discussion is based on concrete data.
Industry, skills, job responsibilities and geography should all be taken into account when making comparisons. A lower regional average does not in itself mean that companies pay less for the same work.
Pay is the most important factor among survey respondents, followed by the working environment and workplace relationships. If a company has limited room to increase salaries, Annette Jensen points to other options.
- To retain and attract employees, companies can – in addition to adjusting salaries – offer other forms of reward and recognition, such as further education and career development, while also working to strengthen their culture and create a high level of wellbeing in the workplace.
