Once a year Parade magazine publishes a list of ordinary and famous people and their salaries. I have to admit that I am always intrigued with the list that is published. When I am looking at the list it is like I am looking in at a part of someone's life that they would not typically share. I am frequently surprised by how much or how little certain jobs pay.
For the interest that I have in the list, I cannot imagine why anyone would agree to have their picture, age, and salary posted with no contextual information. Even if I were comfortable about broadcasting my income, which I am not, I would not want to be on such a list because I would not want people I don't know sizing me up based on those three basic pieces of information. Beyond that, I cannot imagine that employers are happy to find their employees sharing salary information with the world.
I wonder if more men than women feel this way because the list includes more women than men this year. I suspect that more men are unwilling to share salary information because they are more likely to have some of their self-worth tied to what they make. I say that as speculation, though, because I don't know for certain that men are less likely to publicize what they make.
I am glad that not everyone feels the way I do about making their income information so very public. If they did, I wouldn't have this source of entertainment every year.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I would just assume not to talk about my salary. It's nothing to brag about.
At my last job, sharing your wage/salary was grounds for dismissal. It made sense because at my current job, they have no such policy and it breeds resentment towards your boss.
Alot of people on the 2nd floor lab share their salary info and almost all of them are disgruntled workers. They feel they are not appreciated enough and there is a high turnover rate down there. I prefer not to share my salary with anyone, it's better for me and for them. Ignorance is bliss.
I wonder if anyone in that article got in trouble with their work for sharing that info??
I too am fascinated by that sort of information. It drove me crazy that some of Dar's family felt free to ask what our salary was and share that with others. Also when we itinerated pastors would ask what is your budget? To me that was so personal but since we are asking them to supply it they feel like they can ask, so we tell.
I had to "talk too" the board member that put our checks out at work, they were in an unlocked folder signed and ready for us, open--no envelopes. I opened it up and wha la Pastor's check. Right behind it was mine and then the janitor's. Like I told the pastor & the board member, I felt that was private info & I would have been just as happy not knowing what I saw. They did the same thing with the pastor's benefits package. They copied it & put it in folders that are open to everyone in the office.
Since I have spoken to them about it, they have started changing their policies and have become more private. I still know what the new youth pastor is getting. His dad put it in the board minutes for me to type! Pastor was going to "add something" to the minutes, when he read what I had, he said--I guess I don't need to add my sheet. It was the pay package/details. I said "Sorry, I just typed what was given too me."
Oh well, I guess it's not a big deal, but still--I agree that it's a personal thing.
Post a Comment