'How much do you make?': Most U.S. workers in favor of pay transparency

Generations of U.S. workers have steered away from conversations about religion, politics or how much they earn. The workplace attitude about salary transparency may be changing, however, especially among younger employees. A USA Today Blueprint poll found that a majority of workers believe they would benefit from full salary transparency.

“For many workers, once their direct deposit hits, they don’t think about it again, but a new movement of salary transparency is changing the discussion around pay,” the survey report said. “With 10 states introducing pay transparency laws and other jurisdictions considering doing so, it’s a clear trend that aims to challenge traditional working cultures and tackle pay inequality.”

Among the key findings of the survey:

• A generational divide exists, with 53% of those aged 18 to 27 believing employees would benefit from greater pay transparency but only 39% of those aged 60 to 78 believing this.
• Eighty-three percent of those aged 18 to 27 would be comfortable sharing their salary, while only one-third of those aged 60 to 78 would be comfortable with this.
• There also are knowledge gaps at higher organizational levels, with only a quarter of respondents knowing how much their boss earns. Additionally, almost half of managers believe it would be uncomfortable if the people they manage knew their income.
• Fewer than 1 in 5 Americans would feel guilty if they learned they were paid more than their coworkers.
• Nearly 30% of respondents would ask for a raise if they found out their coworkers made more than them.

In general, 57% of Americans surveyed were comfortable with sharing their salary with other people. Most Americans believe companies should be legally required to make salary information for all employees public within the company. In addition, 58% believe employers should take the lead in promoting salary transparency, while 29% believe the responsibility lies with employees.

Related: How employers can develop pay strategies that benefit their business and employees

Two-thirds of employees believe they are fairly compensated compared to their coworkers, while 32% believe they are underpaid and just 1% said they are overpaid. Considering the persistence of the gender pay gap, more women (38%) than men (27%) believe they are underpaid.

“The general consensus, according to our survey results, is that full salary transparency would benefit employees, with around 83% of respondents believing so,” the report concluded. “However, almost half of all respondents think it would only benefit employees and not employers or the companies themselves.”