So had a rise at work
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Webbit

Original Poster:

2,558 posts

204 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
quotequote all
So had a rise at work, got a "friend" at work in same dept who I'd consider senior to me in status and pay but not on same section. We have frank discussions, to the extent I know their financial position I have emailed a spreadsheet with suggested saving options for their cash (I manage the cash for our organisation_.

This person/mate sees the the payroll so knows ins and outs and we both work in finance. I said I'd had rise and this person went to our boss and tried to use it as leverage to line their own pockets.

Disappointed and fortunately I get on well with the boss and managed to put into context.

Obviously I'll be more careful in future, but is this a big no no? I couldn't give a rats arse who knows what I earn, just money at the end of the day, not the person I am. I really don't think the method of "such and such gets xyz, I want xyz" really cuts it, unprofessional. Maybe I am too for disclosing.

Edited started writing this from the phone.Can't seem to add a title?



Edited by Webbit on Thursday 18th August 23:47

essayer

10,410 posts

223 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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Some companies make it a disciplinary matter for staff to discuss salaries. I can see why, it's up to people to negotiate their own worth.

Your mate is on very dodgy ground IMHO, especially if he's involved with payroll. Steer clear of any drama.

I don't think you'd get in any trouble, but best hold back from discussing with people who don't need to know (the only people in life that really need to know your salary are mortgage advisors and IFAs!) good luck

Edited by essayer on Friday 19th August 00:35

Si 330

1,306 posts

238 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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Nothing causes bigger problems than staff knowing other staffs salaries.
10 years ago there was a pitch battle on a building site as one group of labourers found out they were on about 70p an hour less than an other group. An extreme case yes but even in the white collar world it causes friction.

AB

20,395 posts

224 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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I got a rise this year, my counterpart in another regional office who does the same job didn't.

I made the mistake of assuming we would have done and commented how great it was... Oops.

Countdown

49,235 posts

225 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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I worked in a Public Sector organisation which had to go through a Pay & Grading exercise.

98% of people were either in the same position financially, or better off. The average pay increase was 8%.

90% of people still submitted appeals.

Often people don't look at their own pay. They look at the person sat next to them.


GSP

1,965 posts

233 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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They say you should never discuss pay.

We hire in contractors to do a job less senior than mine and we pay them between £500 and £750 a day... and they might do a 28 day rotation, so imagine how I feel lol

Edited by GSP on Friday 19th August 09:30

mrmr96

13,736 posts

233 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
GSP said:
They say you should never discuss pay.

We hire in contractors to do a job less senior than mine and we pay them between £500 and £750 a day... and they might do a 28 day rotation, so imagine how I feel lol

Edited by GSP on Friday 19th August 09:30
Assuming you're on £900/day then you probably don't need to worry about it.

Webbit

Original Poster:

2,558 posts

204 months

Friday 19th August 2011
quotequote all
Cheers guys. Yeah wouldn’t discuss with peers, but would/have with people I’m socialable with (been here 5 years so know some very well!). Lesson learnt here though, although I have no clause in my contract it’s not worth upsetting others even though on the face they are frank enough to discuss details – perhaps it was a trap to lure details from me dunno.

I’m not in trouble, but also get on well with my boss and feel bad I’ve created work for her!

otolith

68,462 posts

233 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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essayer said:
Some companies make it a disciplinary matter for staff to discuss salaries. I can see why, it's up to people to negotiate their own worth.
At the other end of the scale, some companies have an open salary policy and even publish what everyone is paid on their intranet.

windman2011

97 posts

182 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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Nothing causes more trouble than this, I remember a guy at work telling me his salary (7k a year less then me) doing the exact same job with more service. Imagine I had told him what I was on:big laugh:

Few girls in the office had a massive scene about this as somebody was on about 60p an hour more.

It's funny how people compare to others rather than do they have enough for themselves and if so be happy with that.

good blog on it here - http://positivesharing.com/2006/08/why-secret-sala...

mrmr96

13,736 posts

233 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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windman2011 said:
Nothing causes more trouble than this, I remember a guy at work telling me his salary (7k a year less then me) doing the exact same job with more service. Imagine I had told him what I was on:big laugh:

Few girls in the office had a massive scene about this as somebody was on about 60p an hour more.

It's funny how people compare to others rather than do they have enough for themselves and if so be happy with that.
Oh yeah? Well turn the tables on your first example. Imagine a guy who had less experience than you, doing the same job but getting £7k more than you. You'd accept that since "you're happy with your lot" would you? Please don't be tempted to lie!

windman2011

97 posts

182 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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mrmr96 said:
Oh yeah? Well turn the tables on your first example. Imagine a guy who had less experience than you, doing the same job but getting £7k more than you. You'd accept that since "you're happy with your lot" would you? Please don't be tempted to lie!
ha ha, fair point. I'd like to think there was a reason behind it though, perhaps he had a naughty history I didn't know about.

axgizmo

1,095 posts

182 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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I would never tell anyone in the company my rate of pay for that reason, if someone is on more than me due to qualifications or whatever, i'd rather not know, we are also advised not to tell others what we earn if we recive a bonus/ rise

Miguel Alvarez

5,176 posts

199 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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Made this mistake once. The manager who I didn't really get on with but respected pulled me aside and gave me the same advice you're all giving.


DanL

6,586 posts

294 months

Friday 19th August 2011
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Comparing salaries is something you tend to do in your first year or two in "proper" employment amongst your mates - it's not something you should do with your peers in the company for just the reason you've uncovered. There's no advantage to it, and lots of downsides.

After the first couple of years you tend to stop comparing with your mates too, as the spread starts to widen, and it only leads to ill will!

Strachan

6,419 posts

183 months

Saturday 20th August 2011
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mrmr96 said:
Assuming you're on £900/day then you probably don't need to worry about it.
I am assuming from his post he is staff. If you want it move to contracting, but bear in mind how much work their is...are you likely to pay same into pension as company does, etc etc

oldbanger

4,328 posts

267 months

Saturday 20th August 2011
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I've just moved from public to private sector and it does feel a little wierd.

We had a completely transparent pay system - the pay scales were on the intranet and if you knew someone's grade and length of service you could tell how much they were on (to £3k absolute minimum, but usually to the penny). Pay was openly discussed as well.

Now I have no idea what anyone earns and it does feel a little odd. I know better than to discuss pay, thankfully.

mph1977

12,467 posts

197 months

Saturday 20th August 2011
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essayer said:
Some companies make it a disciplinary matter for staff to discuss salaries. I can see why, it's up to people to negotiate their own worth.
there's two ways to deal with this

1. go for the whole cloak and dagger dog and pony show with everyone playing brinkmanship games

2. have a proper JE tool and band people with incremental progression based on seniority and/or performance

yes 2 sounds very public sector but it also stops all the crap and you can always sway progression to performance rather than seniority and exclude bonus / better than required performance payments from that and pay them based on another set of criteria

phil-sti

2,975 posts

208 months

Saturday 20th August 2011
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It's now illegal to stop people discussing there salaries

SlimRick

2,277 posts

194 months

Sunday 21st August 2011
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phil-sti said:
It's now illegal to stop people discussing there salaries
Source?