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I worked for a very large organization for twenty years in which the salaries were a matter of public record.
The major difference between this organization and others where salaries were private, was that in this one there was no gossip about salaries. Everyone could know what you made, no mysteries. Some employees felt they were underpaid compared to people doing similar jobs, and they would ask for an explanation or a raise....what response they got was up to their supervisor.
I was in a position to know a great deal about salaries, performances and supervisor/staff member relations. The people I recall moving on to another job did so because they did not see an opportunity for advancement, rather than gripes about being paid less than a co-worker.
Exactly.
No need for gossip when everyone knows what's what.
But it is easier to get people to work for cheap and not bug their boss about it if the boss can say, "Where did you hear that so and so is making such and such?"
It would be terrible for the company which is why lots of companies discourage it or outright tell people they aren't allowed to do it. It would cost them money.
It would be terrible for some, not all, of the high earners which is why they don't do it.
It would be great for everybody else.
Personally, I really couldn't care any less if everything was disclosed. I have been in several situations where people with more time on the job, or more years of experience, made less than I did, but there was a very good reason for it. I simply brought more to the table.
Actually, look at government where pay is disclosed. Since it is normal and has been for a very long time, the employees are use to it and it isn't an issue at all. It can actually be a huge motivator since people know what kind of pay raises they will get if they are able to move up in the organization.
As it is it's considered a big no-no for employees to talk and tell each other how much each other makes. But what if it wasn't? If employees were freely able to discuss how much they were all making per hour or salary and everyone knew what everyone else was making, what would happen?
I think it would force employers to make the pay scale more fair. I agree with some of the others though, it could open a can of worms.
I would like the pay scale to be posted with all job postings, especially internal positions.
Be careful what you ask for, if salaries are equivalent, then people would be paid based on their position and not their proficiency. There might not be room to reward good employees vs. mediocre or poor employees, more or less like union jobs. The ultimate problem is abject apathy, been to a government office recently?
I worked for a public agency almost my entire career. Everyone knew everyone else's salary because every job title had a set salary range, and set step raises at set intervals. You could get a zero increase (poor performance), a one step increase (standard performance), or a two step increase (exceptional performance) every year at your annual review until you maxed out your range. If you had sufficient experience, you might start a position at higher than step one, but you would still be within that set range. How did it affect the workplace? Basically there were no secrets unless you made an effort to hide your step level from your co-workers, which seems pretty silly. The only time I hid my step increase was when I got a rare two-step increase, and I knew that one of my co-workers had no increase due to poor performance. I didn't want to make him feel bad.
I think it would force employers to make the pay scale more fair. I agree with some of the others though, it could open a can of worms.
I would like the pay scale to be posted with all job postings, especially internal positions.
Naturally. Because life is all about being "fair". Because everybody deserves a trophy just for showing up.
I work for a startup, and have accepted that my pay will be low until we get through the R&D portion of the business. I work odd hours, do whatever is necessary to get the job done, stay late, come in early and work my rear off. The understanding is that once we start making money, I will be compensated handsomely for my sacrifice. I would be furious if a new hire came in 6 months after that happens, and in the interest of "fairness" made the same as me while doing similar work.
Life is not fair. Learn to live with it, and either become that person that learns to negotiate a better salary or live with the lower income.
I work in a union shop, everyone knows what everyone makes. No arguments, no problems.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheShadow
I worked for a public agency almost my entire career. Everyone knew everyone else's salary because every job title had a set salary range, and set step raises at set intervals. You could get a zero increase (poor performance), a one step increase (standard performance), or a two step increase (exceptional performance) every year at your annual review until you maxed out your range. If you had sufficient experience, you might start a position at higher than step one, but you would still be within that set range. How did it affect the workplace? Basically there were no secrets unless you made an effort to hide your step level from your co-workers, which seems pretty silly. The only time I hid my step increase was when I got a rare two-step increase, and I knew that one of my co-workers had no increase due to poor performance. I didn't want to make him feel bad.
You both are right but, and it's a big one, you are approaching the question from the viewpoints of a unionized (blue collar?) employee and a government worker.
I think the question was posed more from a low level "management" (in quotes because everyone wants to be titled management) perspective. Maybe doing accounting or IT functions. I don't know. I do know that a couple of the posters are always bitching because people above them make more money than they do while supposedly doing less work. Which also tells me that they don't really know or understand the function and jobs of management.
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