If there’s something common nowadays, that would be the fact that most of us are having a confidential salary. Let’s face it, few people know how much others receive as payment for their services, and this alone can bring in front plenty of problems, because many times the lack of transparency can bring in front issues you just want to avoid the best way you can. This is where open salaries can come in handy, and the guys at Buffer wanted to place this into perspective by actually doing it.
Is This a Good Idea?
It all comes down to what you think about open salaries as a whole. In one way, transparency can show people that they have a good salary and they should invest their appreciation and time into creating something better at their workplace, but it can also be a sharp blade. When employees and people as a whole see discrepancies in salaries, this can lead to some bad results and major problems for the company in its entirety, which is something that no one wants to have for sure.
Complete Openness
Being open is a good idea on paper, but when it comes to actually doing open salaries, then this can bring in front numerous challenges. Of course, people with small salaries don’t have a problem showcasing them, but the persons that earn a lot more within the same companies can definitely think about twice before actually showing their salary. It can be a troublesome thing to do, but on the other hand, this alone can lead to frustration, and that is something you have to avoid the best way you can.
Including This Info in Reports
Buffer included the salary info in reports, which is a bold step. Most companies that embrace the open salaries ideas don’t do so, but on the other hand this is a great move towards complete transparency, and such a thing alone can lead to great results.
Personal Self-Improvement
Thanks to open salaries, any employee has the opportunity to understand which positions are better paid within his company, and that alone brings in front a whole bunch of great results. You should totally focus on such a thing if you are interested in having a company that’s transparent and which doesn’t want to build up walls between its employees.
Closing Thoughts
I have to say, the idea of open salaries is both amazing and scary for me. You will always find some persons within any company that earn way too much when compared to what they do, while others work a lot more for a smaller pay. However, this is the reality of our society, yet seeing it on paper with the help of open salaries might not be the best choice. On the other hand, open salaries are showcasing the true transparency that our society might have, and I firmly believe that, even if they might not please anyone, they should be integrated by as many companies as possible. At the end of the day, our society shouldn’t build up more walls between people than those you can already find.
Photo credit: Alexas Fotos /Janeke88
