Shared salary with colleague - mistake?

Lollipop95

Hello,

I was chatting with a colleague a while ago. We work for a company that's relatively new. We were chatting and my colleague said that he found out from a fellow colleague that everyone in the company in different departments is on different wages, despite being the same level and experience. There was a long pause and I said I was surprised at that and my colleague 'yes, you, me and the others are all on different salaries'.

Inadvertently and due to case of perhaps thinking out loud, I then said the salary I was told I would be on when I first started(after my colleague). There was awkward silence from them and I quickly changed the subject.

I'm now kicking myself and wishing I didn't open my mouth at all as I know sharing salaries is taboo and I've read it can create tension in the workplace..any advice for making such a mistake?

Thanks!

SureYWouldntYa

Companies will want to keep salaries under wraps because precisely as you found out people will be unhappy if they find out they might be underpaid

They will just want to get people in for as little as they can

I dont think you did anything wrong but you’re right it can create tension, but if someone is being underpaid then perhaps its better in the open and whether its you or your colleague is underpaid maybe there’s cause for some sort of review

Batgurl

Check your contract to make sure there isn’t a line in it about confidentiality and discretion. I previously worked in a company where it was gross misconduct to share remuneration details.

Now, if you were fired as a result I reckon it would be easily challenged in court. But if it’s in your contract, it will give you an idea of how it will go down with senior management.

It’s a really interesting conversation though because it’s very much a cultural thing. Some countries have no problem sharing salaries but Westerners find it rude for some reason.

Of course companies want you to keep it to yourself but there is an entire movement happening at the moment which is encouraging people to share remuneration packages with colleagues (even by playing the over/under game) so we can get a better picture of the pay gap as it pertains to gender, diversity, ethnicity and family status.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think you did anything wrong but I am curious if your colleagues stayed quiet because you are getting paid a lot less than them?

screamer

I would never disclose my salary. That’s info for me and I think unprofessional to discuss or disclose your salary, outside of pay reviews.

Companies pay what the market will bear when recruiting. In good times they pay more to get staff, in bad times, less. The main thing to remember is, negotiate hard when joining as when you’re in pay rises will be less than 5 % per year, and if you want a significant pay rise, you’ll need to work towards a good promotion or move company. BTW, much as people might think doing the same job should be paid the same, there are people who do their job fantastically well and are well worth more, and other clock watchers who aren’t even worth what they’re paid. It’s difficult to get rid of staff, so there will be the difference in wages for a long time to come.

Batgurl

screamer wrote: »

Companies pay what the market will bear when recruiting.

I agree with everything Screamer said, except this bit. Companies tend to pay what the candidate will accept, not what the market will bear; that’s why there are people in the same role earning different amounts.

2 pieces of advice I always give friends around job hunting:

1) never disclose your current salary. Would you ask what the last person in the role you are applying for was paid? So why should they get to ask you yours?

2) when discussing salary expectations, never go first. If they ask, response with ‘what’s the salary range for this role?’

S.M.B.

There's still somewhat of a stigma (on both a professional and personal level) when it comes to discussing finances but I wouldn't call breaking those norms (whether intentionally or not) to be unprofessional in any way.

It's often in a employers best interest to have this level of secrecy when it comes to salaries but there is a school of thought that transparency could be the way forward and all salaries are available to view and compare on some companies.

If for some reason you are earning more than your colleague then their issue should be with themselves and the employer for not securing a similar package as opposed to with you. If the tables were turned and they were offered a higher salary they're hardly going to come back with 'Please can you give me the same salary as everyone else on my grade as having a higher salary may inadvertently lead to tension".

Mellor

Batgurl wrote: »

It’s a really interesting conversation though because it’s very much a cultural thing. Some countries have no problem sharing salaries but Westerners find it rude for some reason.

I don't think it's because it's rude or taboo per se. People are pretty pen with personal information these days. It's because it leads to other people getting offended. As evident by the guy at OP job.

SureYWouldntYa wrote: »

They will just want to get people in for as little as they can

There's a whole number of legimate reasons why people are on different salaries. But some people take it very badly.

OMM 0000

You made a mistake.

It's OK.

Generally in the workplace you should avoid discussion about salary, religion, politics... and bitching about people.

smurfjed

Our salaries are common knowledge amongst all people doing the same job, there are specific grades, years of service and the path to your present position that make up that salary.

silent_spark

I can’t understand why some people are so funny about saying what they earn. Yes, I’d be miffed if someone doing the same job as me was paid more, and I couldn’t see any discernible difference between their skills, qualifications and output as mine, but tough luck. Negotiate better. If I thought I was being paid much more than someone else I wouldn’t volunteer the information, but if asked I would have no issue disclosing it.

OMM 0000

silent_spark wrote: »

I can’t understand why some people are so funny about saying what they earn. Yes, I’d be miffed if someone doing the same job as me was paid more, and I couldn’t see any discernible difference between their skills, qualifications and output as mine, but tough luck. Negotiate better. If I thought I was being paid much more than someone else I wouldn’t volunteer the information, but if asked I would have no issue disclosing it.

Most people aren't as open or fair as you.

As a manager I've noticed there's a significant percentage of people who are deluded about their value. For example, the guy who spends half the day surfing the web and has sloppy time keeping: we know you're a slacker, so stop pretending otherwise.

Heart Break Kid

I don't understand the stigma around salaries and in general you can probably peg where most ppl are with a bit of research. I think the more open and transparent people are the better.

I did something similar and I could tell by his reaction he was getting paid more for the same work. The difference is he had been involved with the firm for 5 years longer than I had so he had picked up company wide % increases down the years that added up.

On top, its relative easy to figure out how much people get paid in the public sector as all the payscales are published minus contractors.

Overall I think sharing is better than not, starts the conversation if you feel or if someone else feels underpaid.

Mellor

silent_spark wrote: »

I can’t understand why some people are so funny about saying what they earn.

You really don't understand why?

You might not care if somebody in your same position is paid more. But many, even most people would. It's a massive mistake talking about it openly imo.

Heart Break Kid wrote: »

I don't understand the stigma around salaries and in general you can probably peg where most ppl are with a bit of research. I think the more open and transparent people are the better.

You be surprised at the disparity. Some people are really bad at negotiating salary. As in they don't even consider negotiating.

AlanG

When I was younger I never discussed my salary. Now I have no problem doing so with colleagues. Information is power and the company want to control the information as it allows them to pay some people less. You have nothing to lose and lots to gain from openly discussing salary with colleagues, it gives you information that can help your position.

What is the downside - you either find out you re well paid, reasonably paid or under paid. it then gives you the power to choose your next move.

Anything in a contract about keeping the information secret is completely unenforceable otherwise you would never be able to apply for a loan or do a tax return.

Heart Break Kid

Mellor wrote: »

You really don't understand why?

You might not care if somebody in your same position is paid more. But many, even most people would. It's a massive mistake talking about it openly imo.

You be surprised at the disparity. Some people are really bad at negotiating salary. As in they don't even consider negotiating.

Never said I wouldn’t care if some1 is paid more than me, But if you find out somebody is paid more, then it’s time to start knocking on your bosses door and renegotiate your salary and if they don’t budge then they need to realign their productivity expectations of you and not hold your to the same standard of someone who is paid more.

What is the issue or mistake, you didn’t really clarify?

Mellor

Heart Break Kid wrote: »

Never said I wouldn’t care if some1 is paid more than me

That part wasn’t a reply to you. I was quoting a poster who said exactly that.

Widdensushi

Lollipop95 wrote: »

Hello,

I was chatting with a colleague a while ago. We work for a company that's relatively new. We were chatting and my colleague said that he found out from a fellow colleague that everyone in the company in different departments is on different wages, despite being the same level and experience. There was a long pause and I said I was surprised at that and my colleague 'yes, you, me and the others are all on different salaries'.

Inadvertently and due to case of perhaps thinking out loud, I then said the salary I was told I would be on when I first started(after my colleague). There was awkward silence from them and I quickly changed the subject.

I'm now kicking myself and wishing I didn't open my mouth at all as I know sharing salaries is taboo and I've read it can create tension in the workplace..any advice for making such a mistake?

Thanks!

so ,what is your salary ?

silent_spark

Mellor wrote: »

That part wasn’t a reply to you. I was quoting a poster who said exactly that.

That’s not what I said, either.

Mister_Happy

A number of years ago in my brothers company someone from payroll printed a document that contained everyone's salary and bonus information and mistakenly left it beside the printer, I believe it was shredded soon after. This was early 2000s however. I'm wondering if this happened today with your GDPR rules and regulations what would the ramifications be if any? Would affected employees have any legal case?

Mellor

silent_spark wrote: »

That’s not what I said, either.

Again, I wasn't quoting you.
I don't think you understand how threads/post work. It's not all about you.

silent_spark

Mellor wrote: »

Again, I wasn't quoting you.
I don't think you understand how threads/post work. It's not all about you.

Eh, you did actually! Post 13.