Is it disrespectful to ask how much you earn in the workplace ?

[Fnaar]

Not really...

I know, I was just being silly

 

[Crackle]

There is a good argument that knowing what people earn helps promote equality. The counter argument is in people not understanding why Joe Bloggs position attracts more than theirs and them bleating about it at every damn appraisal.

On the face of it I'm all for people knowing what others earn but the practicalities mean it often causes a lot more friction than it really should but perhaps in a completely open system that wouldn't happen.

Anyway the more you earn, you'd better make sure you're indispensable as otherwise the next time that organogram gets re-drawn you might not be on it!

 

[Cubist]

What I earn is a matter of public record.

 

[Globalti]

It's a recipe for disaster especially if, like me, you work for an employer who doesn't have a formal salary structure but pays employees according to time served and level of responsibility. A few years ago this caused huge discontent in our factory and some of the lads tried to unionise the company. They failed.

I don't even know the salaries of my closest colleagues and to discuss it would almost certainly cause grief to one of us and embarrassment to the other. I've been here for 27 years so am almost certainly paid more than my more recently-employed colleagues.

 

[Levo-Lon]

My wife does the payroll for all the staff..MD to receptionist..
no dont ask..some like you to know tho..you can spot them easily too

 

[steve50]

I think its not so much disrespectful as just plain nosey and as above it can cause bad feeling among work colleagues especially if you consider yourself to be the more experienced or harder working than the person on the higher salary.

 

[subaqua]

In my experience, especially working in a large organisation, it's bad news to find out what your peers are being paid.
You will be unhappy and end up leaving. I did.

Our Ts & Cs forbid telling colleagues your salary. Apparently it is done for a valid reason. What that is nobody can tell me . It is a disciplinary offence and has lead to a dismissal.

 

[vickster]

I don't even know the salaries of my closest colleagues and to discuss it would almost certainly cause grief to one of us and embarrassment to the other. I've been here for 27 years so am almost certainly paid more than my more recently-employed colleagues.

Sometimes it can work the other way. I'm pretty sure I've been in the situation having been with a company for 13 years. And probably the same for this friend of mine. He's not dissatisfied with what he earns per se I think, but he is upset at the perceived injustice and he thinks the colleagues are lazy buggers who aren't worth that much!

I'm just starting out as a freelancer . I will expect to earn a mix of the going rate for my skills and experience, what the market will support and what I and the employer think I'm worth for the work/contract on offer.

I guess if we're not happy with pay and employment, get out but the grass isn't always greener!!

 

[martint235]

I know people who get really upset when they find colleagues are paid more but I don't really understand it.

My organisation wants me to do y and are prepared to pay me x. Am I prepared to do y for x? If this answer is yes then it doesn't bother me that someone else is paid more to do y. I've accepted a contract for my time at a price I believe is fair.

 

[pplpilot]

similarly, mid 90's, I started as technical manager for a large engineering company and as such had a 'staff' status. Come Christmas time only being there less than 2 months I was pleasantly surprised to find a Christmas card from the boss with £100 in it! not really expecting anything being the new boy, lunch time came around and I was chatting to one of the chaps from the shop floor and happen to mention how generous the Christmas bonus was, oh dear, big mistake! turns out they all got £10 some of them being there 30+ years... I wasn't Mr popular for a long time. I left before the next Christmas, I would never have guessed there were companies as bad as that place for a them and us mentality.

 

[Electric_Andy]

If you know someone well enough and/or there is a good (work-related) reason for you wanting to know, then it's probably ok. If not then it would certainly come across as nosy. If there is no context, then you might as well be asking Dave from accounts how big his wife's tits are

 

[Milkfloat]

I don't even know the salaries of my closest colleagues and to discuss it would almost certainly cause grief to one of us and embarrassment to the other. I've been here for 27 years so am almost certainly paid more than my more recently-employed colleagues.

You may well be surprised - long termers in my company generally get paid less than the new blood.

 

[Speicher]

.....feel free to ask how much I earn.

Your last pay packet contained £3 10s 11d.

 

[marinyork]

Our Ts & Cs forbid telling colleagues your salary. Apparently it is done for a valid reason. What that is nobody can tell me . It is a disciplinary offence and has lead to a dismissal.

Mostly unenforceable. There are some circumstances where it would be justified.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I'm on a payscale along with my colleagues, we all know by default what each other is on from that.