If you’re considering a new job, you may want to consider how much money you’d make. When it comes to discussing salary–especially with your current company–there are some interesting guidelines to keep in mind. The general rule is that it’s legal for employers to ask about your current salary and how much you expect to make in your next job, but they can’t tell you if they’re going to match or beat it. It’s illegal for companies to have a policy against sharing what other employees earn, though some do. Another thing to keep in mind with salary discussions is that men tend to be more open about their salaries than women; that could give male candidates an advantage over female ones when negotiating with an employer.”

Discussing Salary With Colleagues

Introduction

Professional compensation is just that: professional. And yet, there are few things more personal than how much money we make. That’s why discussing pay with coworkers isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. Talking about salary with people who do your job can help you avoid being underpaid and help the people around you avoid making the same mistake. In this article, I’ll tell you all about talking about salary, why career-focused organizations like mine encourage it, and what to keep in mind before bringing up compensation at work or asking for an increase in pay from your manager (hint: it has a lot to do with knowing the rules).

You’re legally allowed to talk about your salary other coworkers.

It is legal to talk about your salary with coworkers. It is also not illegal to ask other people about their salaries. The same goes for talking about your own salary with your colleagues.

This may seem obvious and/or unnecessary, but this is something that can be very confusing if you are new to the world of work (or just new at a company). I’ve seen many people who are unsure whether or not they should share their pay information with peers, and I’ve seen even more who struggle with how much information to share when asked about it by a colleague or superior.

Talking about salary can replace speculation with reality.

One reason talking about salary can help you avoid getting underpaid is that it can help you avoid the problem of keeping your job from being outsourced to cheaper labor. For example, if you’re an American software developer working for an American company and your company decides to outsource your work to a team in India, then you’ll likely be out of a job.

Talking about pay with colleagues can also help prevent this by helping you negotiate better compensation than what’s on offer at other companies or industries. In addition to discussing salary with peers in general, it helps to speak specifically with people who have similar levels of experience as yours so that they can give helpful feedback on what they’ve been offered.

Discussing pay with coworkers can help you avoid getting underpaid in the future.

Discussing pay with coworkers can help you avoid getting underpaid in the future.

• Talk about salary with coworkers who are in similar roles. If you’re on a team where everyone has a similar job and role, then it’s easier to compare your salary with that of other people on your team. For example, if you’re all marketing managers, this is straightforward because there aren’t many factors that impact how much each of you earn except education level and experience. Although they might not have the same exact job titles as yours, they’ll still likely be doing similar work as you are and will therefore be able to provide valuable insight into what other companies are paying for those kinds of jobs in your area.
• Talk about salary with coworkers who are in different roles but at the same company level as yours (for example: Marketing Manager 1). In addition to comparing yourself against people who do similar work as yours at different companies, compare yourself against people who do different kinds of work at your company (for example: Marketing Manager 1 versus Product Manager 3). This way, even if two employees have completely unrelated titles yet still report directly to their respective managers within the same department structure (i.e., both sitting under Technical Services), they may still make roughly equivalent annual salaries based on performance metrics—and thus probably have some insight into whether or not their baseline pay rate seems fair relative to those around them!

But, there are some drawbacks to talking about pay with coworkers.

But, there are some drawbacks to talking about pay with coworkers.

• You could accidentally reveal confidential information. If you work for a company that has the same salary structure for everyone and the company gives you a raise, it’s best not to share that information with your coworkers until they receive their raises as well. This is because if someone finds out what their co-worker made prior to them getting a raise, and then compares salaries after receiving theirs (and finds out they make more money than others), it could cause tension among employees and lead to problems in the office.
• Some people get annoyed when they hear about other people’s salaries—even if those salaries are equal or less than theirs. If a coworker tells you how much they make every year but yours isn’t included in their figures, this can be very irritating because it makes you feel like your contribution isn’t valued by management or peers alike.

Know the rules at your company before you start the conversation.

Before you start your talk, make sure that you know the rules at your company. You can find out if talking about salary with colleagues is allowed by asking your boss or HR. If there are no rules in place, it’s up to you how much information to share and how often. However, keep in mind that while it may be helpful to get a sense of what others make and ask for advice on negotiating (more on this later), talking specifics could lead to awkwardness or even legal trouble down the road if someone wants to sue for discrimination.

Talking about pay might not feel comfortable at first, especially if you’re a woman or a person of color.

• You might feel uncomfortable talking about your salary because it feels like you’re breaking the law.
• You might feel like you’re being judged by your coworkers, who may think that you are greedy or not worth as much as them.
• You might feel like you’re being judged by your boss, who could decide not to promote or hire you in the future if they think that your salary is higher than what they want to pay.
• Your family may also judge and shame you for asking for more money—especially if they are low-wage earners themselves!

Don’t talk about pay during working hours unless your company or manager says it’s OK.

When discussing salary, don’t bring up your personal finances or the financial situation at your current job. Also, avoid sharing details about raises, bonuses or bonuses that other employees have received in a recent period of time.

If you would like to talk about salary with a colleague, try setting up an appointment after work hours to discuss salaries and benefits between co-workers who are not directly competing for the same position.

You have the right to discuss your salary.

You have the right to discuss your salary. It’s that simple.

This can be a difficult conversation, but it’s important to remember that you are not alone and you are not being unreasonable. As an employee, it is your responsibility to take care of yourself and make sure that your needs are met. If you aren’t satisfied with the pay offered by your employer, then by all means speak up!

It’s really just about asking for what we deserve as workers: fair compensation for our hard work and dedication in building something together with this company or organization as part of our overall mission/vision/valuesstatementetceteraetcereberainthisworldofshadows.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many benefits to talking about your salary with coworkers. It helps you understand whether or not you’re being paid fairly, and it’s a great way to learn more about the salary negotiation process. There are also drawbacks to this sort of conversation, including the possibility that your manager may not be happy about it. If you decide it’s worth taking the risk of talking about pay at work, keep these tips in mind: be sure to know what’s OK and what isn’t in terms of discussing pay (as well as workplace politics), don’t talk during working hours unless your company or manager says otherwise, and make sure you’re prepared for some awkwardness if people start asking questions that might seem like they’re prying into your personal life.