Revealing how much you earn, is usually perceived as classified information that could threaten and cause grave damage to the national security of a country. It has come to my attention that sharing how much people make, co-workers in specific, is a topic not usually associated with polite conversation. Salaries are always added to the list of topics people usually avoid discussing alongside: age, weight and of course, politics.
Your salary is basically associated with success, fear of failure, how others perceive you, and how you perceive yourself. Unfortunately, it has become a measurement tool for self-worth. If your pockets are full, then you’re automatically successful, experienced and always on top of your game, if not then you swiftly turn into an underdog.
Like all other cultural taboos, this topic is really hard to defeat with reason. But let me tell you something, being secretive about your salary can make you fall a victim for pay inequity and salary suppression. It’s the 21st century and we’re still suffering from salary disparities, mainly towards women and minorities.
If we’re talking legal, there is no law that prohibits employees to openly share their salaries among themselves. Openly discussing how much you make among your co-workers is a very strong tool to stand up to wage disparities. That’s not it. It’s also a very good mean to suppress both selfish and sneaky means that can be imposed by companies on their employees, without mentioning that it puts employees in a better position when discussing or negotiating their salaries.
One final word, your salary doesn’t dictate who you are and is definitely not something you should identify yourself with. Your salary is not your identity, remember that.
