Discussing your wage?

[weezy00]

I notice a lot of people now ask how much another person makes at their job. It seems to me that it happens a lot in the work place and even amongst friends.

Do you divulge that information to other co-workers/friends when asked. Lets say you are leaving a company and they ask how much are you going to be making at the new position, do you tell them?

[rx7boi]

At work, no. Friends, maybe.

If anything, I just tell people that "I'll be making more" and leave it at that. You can find out wage ballparks so easily nowadays that it's not worth prying.

Discussing your wage with coworkers and even "work friends" is a sure fire way to cause drama. People will get jealous regardless of whether the wage is deserved or not.

[spikerS]

my life is pretty much an open book to my friends. They can ask damn near any question, and they will get an honest answer.

However, around my workplace, I keep things like my wages quiet, because it isn't normal, and is a fair chunk higher than my peers. I don't think it would go over too well. The stupid thing is, that what I make is attainable by every one of my peers, they are just too lazy for the most part to put the effort in to get it.

[Unknown303]

I don't tell people because I don't want them to get depressed. That's also why I tell my friends

[firebane]

Originally posted by spikers
my life is pretty much an open book to my friends. They can ask damn near any question, and they will get an honest answer.

However, around my workplace, I keep things like my wages quiet, because it isn't normal, and is a fair chunk higher than my peers. I don't think it would go over too well. The stupid thing is, that what I make is attainable by every one of my peers, they are just too lazy for the most part to put the effort in to get it.

Exactly the same for me. I am willing to put the time and effort in to make myself better and worth more at my job.

Other people not so much.

I won't tell people at work what I make either no matter what job I am at as that is my business not theirs.

[lilmira]

12 peanuts a day, lucky that I'm not allergic to peanuts. How many days do I have to work to make enough for a jar of peanut butter?

[redblack]

if everything goes as planned this year ill break 55K. Time to lease a new C63

[Sugarphreak]

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[Kloubek]

Friends - sure. Work: Depends on the scenario, but not likely a great idea. Also not really a very great thing for someone else to ask either, as I think workplace salaries are pretty much expected to be kept quiet. And besides all that, my salary is quite embarrassing for the work I do, and the nation-wide consequences on the company it has, as well as my many years of tenure.

[ExtraSlow]

It's a terrible idea to tell coworkers what you make. Nothing good can come of this.

Let's say Mr. A makes $80k/yr and Mr. B makes $90k. Now Mr A will be mad, and will make up excuses in his head why he "deserves" a raise to at least what Mr B makes. He'll either go to his boss and complain about it, which will never result in the boss giving that raise, or he'll just be mad at Mr B.

[ExtraSlow]

Let's look at this from a managers perspective too. Let's say Mr B is a top performer and that's why he's paid more. If he's going around telling people, that's causing me problem, and my top performers shouldn't be causing me problems. I'll think less of him.

[jwslam]

Definitely don't tell people at work. And if they're pushy I make up numbers in the range of what they would be making.

As for friends, same deal of making up numbers.

The few closer friends I would give exact numbers to are the kind who don't wanna hear what I make nor let me know what they make; so I leave it at that.

[Sugarphreak]

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[msommers]

People out in the field ask me all the time how much I make. My auto response is a simple 'why'. Normally I get a shrug or 'I dunno' in reply and ends there. Or if someone keeps pressing it I'll tell them it's none of their fucking business. I'd do the same in the office too. Comparing wages at work is a terrible idea for everyone for the exact reasons that ExtraSlow pointed out.

There are some obvious exceptions, for example apprentices in trades who are required to know J-man wage because their pay is a percentage of that.

I do know that some companies will give access to surveys of pay averages for positions in the city to remain competitive for senior individuals. Mom got a pretty sweet raise + bonus because they were paying her on the lower end and afraid she'd leave. Sounded like it was a simple "hey look at this" too lol.

Positions for Eng and Geoscience, APEGA publicly lists them.

[msommers]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
I think my problem right now is that I've done well outside of work... so much so that my lifestyle and my wage don't really correlate anymore. I think people get the wrong impression sometimes..

Maybe it's a sign to quit your day job!

[Sugarphreak]

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[digi355]

I have a trusted few peers I work with that I do. We're on a grade type scale, so mostly everyone makes the same, or eventually gets bumped into the next grade.

Discussing / sharing my grade with a trusted few has been extremely beneficial to me career wise. Hearing how my peers we're able to progress, what strategies they used and how they were countered has helped me in my development plans immensely. Literally 10's of thousands of dollars at this point.

As always, I've paid what I've learned forward to those below me who I trust. My theory being the more people around you that are progressing, the more likely you're going to get brought with.

Of course there's always a cocksucker in the group that ruins it. If that happens, I just cut ties.

[Nast]

I think its good to know, more or less, where you are wage wise in relation to coworkers. If you have the same seniority as someone else and make less then maybe you can pressure your boss or even ask what you can do to get a raise/take on more work or responsibilities.

When I first started my job I was dicked around and not paid what I should have been for the position. I asked a coworker what he made and he showed me his pay stub. It helped me out because I knew I could pressure my boss for a fair raise and what pay scale I should have been at in the first place.

I think something that might be more personal is how much your bonus is, if you get it at your work. That can definitely vary and be dependent on the persons work etc.

[Hallowed_point]

Such a Calgary thread Usually just leads to hard feelings depending on which side of the coin your on so I generally don't.

[AndyL]

We used to discuss ranges - not specific dollars (ie 40s, 50s, 60s...)

Course that place was a shitshow - and you almost had to; because annual reviews occasionally needed a "You've got to do way better" - or you ended up screwed...

Then there was this one time... The new boss mailed out the annual budget... And forgot to remove the page with everyones salary attached...

Good times, Good times... Then we realized why some of us discussed wages - because some people were getting seriously screwed without vaseline...