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

[young Ed]

not sure i would agree with disrespectful, maybe bordering on rude or more likely nosey?
i don't generally ask my co-workers (my one and only co worker that is) how much they earn but earlier in the year over a cup of tea some how the conversation came to earnings.
as it turns out he is on roughly double what i am, i wasn't put off, angry, disappointing or anything else. i just understand the differences between us and that he deserves that amount and i feel i am paid about right for who i am.
Cheers Ed

 

[vickster]

Why only taxpayers? Surely all of the state's subjects no?

The state (HMRC) knows how much I earn

 

[winjim]

Why only taxpayers? Surely all of the state's subjects no?

I would prefer citizens.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

The state (HMRC) knows how much I earn

Or at least they know what you tell them....

 

[vickster]

We all know what each other is on anyway within narrow limits coz we all read the job adverts.

In my industry, job adverts (if going that route) give a £xx+ figure, Based on experience. However, most people will be headhunted by agencies or competitors so there's no real benchmark

There are pay bands for perm staff where I am at the mo but at any given grade that's probably £5-15k, so could be as much as 25% between top and bottom...and I'm sure there's also flexibility for incomers

 

[vickster]

Or at least they know what you tell them....

PAYE, I have virtually no other taxable income, savings are in ISAs

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I would prefer citizens.

As a republican so would I. But in the UK we are subjects.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

PAYE, I have virtually no other taxable income, savings are in ISAs

Am only teasing. Interest bearing bank account?

 

[vickster]

Am only teasing. Interest bearing bank account?

I doubt it earned more than about a quid in interest last year! It's probably about 0.25%

 

[JohnHughes307]

I once worked for a company where HR records of everyone were freely available - from the CEO all the way down. The only "private" bits which weren't in the freely accessible files were medical things etc. It meant that you might as well answer if anyone asked, as they could just walk over to the shelf and see for themselves if they wanted to. It made for a very interesting dynamic. If there was someone who was doing a really good job but was behind the curve in the pay-scale, everyone would make a point of praising their work, copying their line manager on "Thank you" emails, that sort of thing. If someone was being paid well ahead of the curve (by which I don't mean paid more - some people were paid a lot more than most because they were so damn good!) they didn't get as much help. I remember one guy who was useless but had managed to blag his way in on 50% more than most people in the role. He submitted some content for a technical proposal that was superficial, badly thought-out, full of poor grammar etc., which I included unchanged and it was picked up when we reviewed the draft. If that had been one of the guys who was being "under-paid" I'd have gone over and suggested improvements and got him to re-submit.

When the company was taken over the policy was dropped like a stone. A pity I always thought - it was interesting!

 

[winjim]

about 2 shakes of feck all if you are in public sector innit

At least we're all in it together, eh?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I doubt it earned more than about a quid in interest last year! It's probably about 0.25%

Still meant to declare it....

 

[vickster]

Still meant to declare it....

Quite possibly. I guess I'll have to start doing self assessment when I go proper freelance next tax year

 

[Pat "5mph"]

In parts of the Indian sub-continent it's a normal conversation opener: "Are you married? How much do you earn?" This discombobulates your average Brit.

Same where I come from (Italy) plus "how many children have you got".
Then, if the children are old enough, " do they go to university" or "what degree have they got".
I actually forgot about this, reading the thread reminded me.
After 30 years in the UK, of course I would not dream of asking a relative stranger such personal questions.

 

[Tin Pot]

I work freelance, permanent members of staff get very upset about how much I get paid, so I don't advertise it.

Other freelancers could be upset if I got more than them.

Plus, it is quite literally my business, and nobody else's.