5 ms·
> In terms of discussions over beer, many companies successfully create taboos around comp. Larger cultures that are squeamish about talking about money, which
by bigwavedave 5y ago
> In terms of discussions over beer, many companies successfully create taboos around comp. Larger cultures that are squeamish about talking about money, which includes many of those prevalent in the US, make that even easier for those companies.
<-- US-based. In every salaried position I've held, discussing salary with coworkers was very taboo. At the second place I worked, on my first day on the job, the head of the department pulled me into his office before I even met with my team (aside from the two I'd met in the interview) and told me that I should be aware that "here at $COMPANY, it's against policy to openly discuss salaries with coworkers." Then he winked and said, "we wouldn't want to have to lower you to the standard rate."
I was too shocked to do anything except chuckle awkwardly, nod, and leave. I was a pretty junior dev- if my salary was above their standard rate, I feel badly for anyone who'd been there longer. Though I'm sure it was a joke to lighten the encounter, keeping salaries down by discouraging discussion about compensation is a very real thing.
- bradleyjg 5y agoI believe that’s technically illegal (under the National Labor Relations Act) so IME it’s rare for it to be that blatant. However, the message seems to get across almost everywhere. Even when executives’ comp is in public SEC filings it is seen as uncouth to talk about.
- muttled 5y agoIt's in the employee handbook of my previous employer. I think the people writing the handbooks just don't necessarily know what the laws are (or are willfully ignorant). I had to ask them to remove a rule prohibiting any and all alcohol possession on company premises because I said that every time we have beer in the fridge or have a work party we were all technically in violation of a rule that's very clear.