There are moments in recruitment conversations that stay with you. Recently, Agency Iceberg spoke with a first-time mum who was clearly overwhelmed. She wasn’t just navigating the already intense transition into motherhood; she was also dealing with the shock of being made redundant while on maternity leave.
Let that sink in for a moment.
At a time when most parents are adjusting to sleepless nights, learning a completely new routine, and figuring out how life looks with a baby, she was suddenly faced with something else entirely: the pressure of needing to find a new role. Not just any role, but a part-time position with a new company that doesn’t know her yet, doesn’t understand how she works, and hasn’t had the chance to see just how fantastic she actually is.
And as if that situation wasn’t difficult enough, there was another layer to the story.
She discovered that she had been significantly underpaid for the past four years.
When we talk about salary transparency in the PR industry, data matters. In 2026, the numbers are clear. The average salary for a PR Account Manager with at least four years of experience sits around $80,000 plus super. This is widely reflected across agencies and salary reports.
This mum is currently earning $65,000 plus super.
During her last salary review, she was told that her pay couldn’t be increased until the agency won more business. It’s a line many employees have heard before, and it often places the burden of company growth onto individuals who are already delivering value.
But here’s where the story becomes even harder to ignore.
The same agency has recently appeared in the press announcing new business wins.
So the question naturally arises: if the business is growing and publicly celebrating new clients, why are experienced employees still being paid well below market rate?
Situations like this highlight a bigger issue in the workplace. Kind, hardworking, loyal employees often stay quiet about salary gaps. They trust their employer, assume fairness will come eventually, and continue doing their job to the best of their ability. Over time, that trust can quietly turn into years of underpayment.
When redundancy enters the picture—especially during maternity leave—it exposes just how vulnerable people can be when transparency and fairness aren’t part of a company’s culture.
Stories like this shouldn’t be normal. They should make us pause and ask serious questions about how organisations value the people who help build their success.
Because at the end of the day, businesses grow because of their teams. And when those teams include talented professionals who have dedicated years of work, loyalty, and results, the least they deserve is fair pay and genuine support.
It’s time we stop underpaying staff and taking advantage of the very people who keep our industries running.
Iceberg is Melbourne’s go-to recruitment company! Specialising exclusively in recruiting for digital, marketing, PR, digital, experiential & advertising jobs. Permanent, freelance and contract roles are available! Sign up for our weekly newsletter HERE.
