Do you know how much your coworkers make?

15 Comments

1. AnonymousFebruary 18,2022 at 2:35PM UTC

   I am a state employee. I know what EVERYBODY makes. :)

   It has been eye opening in some cases, both in an OH WOW! way and in a WOW [rage] way. Seeing how much some people make compared to what others make is somewhat disheartening.

   However, I believe it's helped me as I plot a career path. I know now that Person X made Y$, so as I look to request a move to a position that encompasses much of what Person X did before they left, I know what salary to aim for.

2. AnonymousFebruary 18,2022 at 3:19PM UTC

   I do as my place of work has to publicly share those reports. I think it helps in knowing what I want to do in the future. We all generally make the same amount of money give or take a few thousand but knowing that someone who has been here for almost 25 years only makes 3.5k more than me doesn't make me want to stay long term. Same with those that have been here for almost 4 years they make the same as I do....and have tried to negotiate but have been told no.

   Now they definitely deserve more (we all technically do but definitely more than I am making) but for them leaving isn't an option as we work in Higher Ed....you often have to move to get what you may want and that may not be a reality. They have spouses, children, grandchildren.....I do not. So I think it does help me to know that yes this is a great place for me to start, learn, grow, but not stay forever.

3. Annette ReimerFebruary 18,2022 at 3:49PM UTC

   I worked at a company where this topic was very hush hush. Management really frowned upon anyone knowing what their coworkers made. Of course, as colleagues become friends and chat, we sometimes shared our salary but it did became a sore spot for those who had the same position and made less than counterparts, especially when they were with the company longer.

   It does open one's eyes learning that maybe you didn't negotiate well in comparison to others, or feel that you have been taken advantage off.

   Definitely pros and cons to having this information.

4. AnonymousFebruary 19,2022 at 1:41PM UTC

   I work for a state employer and know what everyone makes. It is demoralizing to see the inequities in pay.

5. Audrey KirschFebruary 19,2022 at 3:58PM UTC

   A couple of us decided to share our salary info. Found we are paid about the same. All feel it is not enough for what we do.

6. Sarah BordersFebruary 19,2022 at 5:49PM UTC

   I don't know, and I don't care to know. I know objectively what a person with my credentials and experience is worth in my industry and location, and I am paid very slightly above that amount.

   I feel that, if you know what your colleagues earn and you find out it's not around the same as you, either you will feel unappreciated because they earn more, or you will feel outraged on their behalf because they earn less.

   I used to work for a state entity, where pay grades, salary ranges, and actual salaries were a matter of public record and anyone could see what you earned. It didn't make a difference to me, but I always thought it would make people feel more sympathetic toward underpaid government employees. :-)

7. AnonymousFebruary 19,2022 at 7:21PM UTC

   I found out accidentally what my coworkers make. I learned that a new hire (male) came in making more than me for less than half of the responsibility. After many months, my boss would not ( or could not - I don’t know which) make it right. I became increasingly resentful, and ultimately left the company.

   I think if salaries were more transparent, companies wouldn’t be able to get away with this kind of game.

8. AnonymousFebruary 20,2022 at 5:28PM UTC

   I don’t know exact numbers, but I know approximately. I work for a very large company that is still focused on rewarding loyalty, so most of my colleagues make a little to a lot more than me. At one point in time, it bugged me but more recently I’ve found that I still have so much to learn about our group and the projects we lead, that I’m okay with it because I can lean on my colleagues and not fee any way about it.

9. Bradford McCormickFebruary 20,2022 at 8:58PM UTC

   I only found out about one person once. I was responsible for a big bank's mainframe computer (systems programmer). Thisperson had some sort of low level technical support job that didn't amount to much of anything. I found he was being paid just a little less than me. I was not happy about it, but I learned my lesson: When I was leaving the company I said to an upper manager that this person shouldn't get my job. This person then explained e=to me that he knew how to harm me physically in ways that "would not leave marks". When I brought this to management's attention they told me I should be glad they did not fire me. There had been no previous issues with my job performance before this matter. So, my last week at that place I took a different route to work each morning.

10. Marie NFebruary 20,2022 at 10:11PM UTC

    When I started out many years ago, no one knew what others made. Paychecks (yes actual checks) were handed out in sealed envelopes. When I joined the federal government several years later everyone basically knew what their colleagues made. Believe me when I say I was surprised at that. All the years I worked for the government it truly made no difference to me what others were paid. Government salaries in general are published yearly so one way or the other we all knew.

11. AnonymousFebruary 20,2022 at 11:00PM UTC

    I worked for a large corporation and spent 13 years in management. It was forbidden to know what each other made. The women that worked in the organization knew they were paid less than their male counterparts just by the way the women were treated and who got the specialty jobs. We all were graded through performance evaluations. It was obvious when evals went good and when they went sour. You can have one great performance evaluation with one manager, and then with the next one it can be really bad. I left this company in 2020 and I'm now back in school and boy am I learning a lot about how organizations work. Take care out there and stick up for yourselves.

12. AnonymousFebruary 21,2022 at 1:06AM UTC

    In my previous position, I knew what a handful of colleagues made, including a male coworker with zero experience and a much less specialized job, who was making 10% more than me. Because I had this information, I was motivated to FIGHT for a promotion. It was a long and difficult journey, but I'm glad I did it. And I'm glad I asked some of my colleagues about their salary and that they provided it. It truly makes a difference in lessening the gender wage gap.

13. AnonymousFebruary 21,2022 at 11:45AM UTC

    I have never cared if other people knew how much I made. The only reason to keep pay secretive is if there are gross disparities for similar positions. It benefits the employer only to have a culture of silence. Pay transparency and knowing industry standards help employees know their value and what skills would directly increase their value.

14. AnonymousFebruary 21,2022 at 12:15PM UTC

    I worked for the Federal government for years and salaries are published and the same for everyone by grade and years. It wasn’t even a conversation. I’ve also worked in the private sector for years and only known what a handful make because most private employers threaten any discussion about it. However, lately I’ve been telling other people and have been finding out how disparate it is. I’m talking $75 differences.

    Salaries need to be open and published. Employers get over by not doing doing it. They want to pay less. They really don’t care.

15. AnonymousFebruary 21,2022 at 2:06PM UTC

    A few of us shared our salaries and the disparities were ridiculous. Employees who had been at the company for several years weren't earning even close to what new employees were being brought in at, $50k+ more for the same roles or even less responsibility. Knowing helped us make stronger cases during performance reviews to get bumped up or take different roles and negotiate for equitable salaries. We've been sharing our salaries more broadly since then, to help others in our position.