Do you know what your co-workers make? If so, how did you find out? Did you ask them point-blank, “What’s on your paycheck?” Or, did you find out through lunchtime gossip? If you don’t know, have you considered asking?
Lots of questions, I know!
But I’m curious after watching author David Burkus make the case for salary transparency in the TED Talk below. Truth be told, coming from a career in the military, I never wondered this. The pay scale is based on rank (which is displayed on your uniform), so there was never a question of how much your peers made—it’s all public knowledge that you can find online.
But, most workplaces don’t share employee salaries, despite some evidence that transparency improves company performance. Burkus makes a compelling case below and it’s defintely something to think about.