She suggests one benefit
of organisations keeping
salaries secret is that it helps
to manage anxieties that
accompany feelings around
recognition. “Pay is very
charged, in that it’s linked to
these sorts of emotions.
There are ways in which the
current system works to keep
in place some aspects of
competition and of rivalry
across all employees, to
contain some of the strong
feelings people might have
about their remuneration,”
she says.
This might sound like a
counter-intuitive approach- but that is why it is so
important to reflect on it,
Vesey explains. “In our age,
we don’t often consider the
flipside of having more
information. At a
psychological level, there is
always a consequence of
sharing information that is
irrational as well as rational,
and that balances the
assumption that the impact
is always positive.”
That is why hailing
transparency as some kind of
cure-all must be overly
simplistic. Because although
debate around transparency
and the gender pay gap
might appear to be
economic, it is also
profoundly psychological; it
is about being and feeling
valued.
“This is the thing about pay
transparency,” Cooper tells
me, “it’s about what it says to
you as the individual
employee about whether they
value you or not. It’s about
more than the money.” If we
think of the concept of value
as the intersection of
psychology and finance, it is
clear that while transparency
might shine a light on the
problem, sharing information
will not solve it: employers
need to put their money
where their mind is. 7
[email protected]Moya Sarner is a freelance
writer and editor. She tweets
from @Moyasarner.(^1) CHOOSE YOUR MOMENT
“Tie the timing of your request for a rise to positive
results. If you have a notable success in the middle of
the year, start the discussion soon afterwards. Even if
the pay cycle means the rise cannot happen for some
time, you will have seeded the conversation at a
moment when your manager is feeling positively
inclined towards you.”
(^2) KNOW YOUR WORTH
“Before making your request, write down a list of your
accomplishments, and ask a trusted confidant what
you bring to the team – particularly what is unique
about your contribution – to ensure you get a
comprehensive list. Be prepared to talk about the
impact you have, rather than effort alone, as this is
what makes your case for a raise compelling.”
(^3) PLAY IT COOL
“In difficult conversations, your tone and body
language are especially important. Go in calmly and
projecting that you believe you are adding value. Don’t
under-do it by dropping eye contact or making yourself
smaller. But don’t over-do it by raising your chin too
high or making statements or ultimatums you don’t
intend to follow through – that will destroy your
credibility.”
(^4) ASK FOR CLARITY
“If you are unsuccessful, first find out why your
request was denied. Do not let your manager get away
with a superficial answer such as “we don’t have the
budget” – there is always budget, so ask what else
took priority. Next, ask what specific actions you can
take that will make you more likely to be given a pay
rise in future.”
(^5) BE FLEXIBLE
“Remember that pay is only one way your company
can demonstrate your value. Some companies have
little room for pay rises, but more room to negotiate
on annual leave, flexible hours or working from home.
If your efforts to get a rise are unsuccessful, do not
give up without first searching for alternative sources
of value.”
5 STEPS TO
AN INCREASE
Advice from organisational psychologist Liane Davey,
author of You First: Inspire Your Team to Grow Up, Get
Along, And Get Stuff Done.
Culture