If you’ve ever asked for a raise, you may have been told to wait until your performance review. Then, you learn that a coworker earns more for the same role, or worse, someone with less experience was hired at a higher salary. Should you speak up? Is it worth the risk?
Legal Protections but Lingering Stigma
While employees in the United States have the legal right to discuss their pay thanks to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the implications of doing so extend far beyond legality. These discussions can shape workplace culture, influence trust and collaboration, and impact individual perceptions of fairness, but you have legal protection for talking about pay with co-workers.
The NLRA ensures employers cannot prevent employees from discussing their pay with pay transparency legislation. Pay transparency refers to open information sharing regarding an organization’s employee compensation. The stigma surrounding pay discussions stems from cultural norms that equate money with personal worth and organizational cultures that implicitly discourage such conversations because you may come across as greedy. Unfortunately, many employees remain hesitant to discuss their salaries.
In a survey focused on whether salary should be a secret, Visier found that of the 1,000 workers surveyed, four of 10 respondents who discussed pay with their employers had a negative experience. Employers often avoid directly forbidding pay discussions but may create a workplace environment where these discussions feel taboo. Telling employees that they cannot talk about salary may pit employees and managers against each other, leading them to distrust each other and create hostile working environments.
Learning from the Military
Pay transparency is part of the culture in the U.S. military, where pay rates are determined by rank and years of service and are publicly accessible online. This openness ensures service members understand their earning potential at every career stage. Other allowances, such as housing or hazardous duty pay, may vary, but the base pay structure is still transparent and predictable.
This system eliminates much of the mystery surrounding salaries and focuses on performance, growth, and mission accomplishment. With transparent salary structures, organizations can reduce misunderstandings between the workforce and management, build trust, and encourage employees to focus on mission accomplishment.
The Importance of Pay Transparency in the Civilian Sector
While legislation promoting pay transparency continues to expand throughout the U.S., some organizations still maintain pay secrecy. Kelly Byrnes, Company Culture Consultant and Founder of Voyage Consulting Group, discussed via email that companies must ensure compensation makes sense. That means compensation should be the same if people are evaluated similarly for the same roles.
As opposed to the ease of the military pay discussions, for civilian employees, discussing pay can feel like navigating a minefield. Despite legal protection, cultural stigmas of these conversations often make the employee seem inappropriate or self-serving. Employees may fear being labeled as greedy or disruptive and, in some cases, risk being excluded from projects or passed over for promotions. With these risks, fear of retaliation increases for other employees, inequities go unchallenged, and trust between colleagues and management erodes.
At the same time, pay transparency empowers job applicants to negotiate salaries with greater confidence, knowing where they stand relative to peers. For employees, transparent pay structures can help them from feeling unfairly compensated, which may lead to the employees leaving the organization. To mitigate these risks, organizations should encourage personnel to discuss compensation openly, promoting a culture of pay transparency and enhancing trust between employees and management.
Pay Transparency Challenges
Lattice’s 2025 State of People Strategy report shared that 45% of those surveyed stated that pay band information is only available to finance and human resource personnel. Organizations may fear that revealing salary information could lead to tension among employees or demands for pay adjustments that are not feasible within budget constraints. Some roles may command higher pay due to market demand or specialized skills.
Open pay discussions provide the background for determining pay differences, such as market benchmarks, role-specific responsibilities, and performance metrics. Roberta Matuson, President of Matuson Consulting and author of Suddenly in Charge, said in a Zoom call, “Employers should educate managers on compensation.” Education is essential because when managers don’t understand the compensation process well, the discussions won’t satisfy the questions from their direct reports. Additional discussions specifically for educating employees about manager compensation instruction could help mitigate misunderstandings and enable acceptance of pay structures.
Make Pay Discussions an Opportunity to Be Your Best
Talking to your manager about pay can feel intimidating. Still, with the right approach, these discussions can become an opportunity to display your value and have a productive conversation rather than blaming someone for your pay. Here are some ideas to help you prepare for those pay discussions effectively:
Track and Document Your Contributions
Before entering any negotiation, compile a detailed list of your accomplishments. Highlight key projects, measurable results, and any additional responsibilities you’ve taken. Having written documentation of the value you’ve provided, and the work completed justifies you to back your request.
Research Industry Salary Benchmarks
Research labor rates to get an idea of what others get paid. Document standard salaries for your role within your industry, location, and experience level. Use sites like Glassdoor, Payscale, or Salary to gather data. Knowing the market rate ensures you’re setting realistic expectations and helps you confidently position your request within an informed range.
Start the Conversation Respectfully
Approach pay discussions with the intent to listen with an open mind rather than beginning by complaining or demanding. Focus on aligning what you’ve done in the past year using your documented contribution with fair compensation. Start the conversation by saying that you want to discuss how your performance aligns with your organization’s compensation structure.
Be Mindful of Organizational Culture
Every workplace has its cultural norms regarding pay discussions. Whether your company encourages openness or handles compensation behind closed doors, know your organization’s practices and adapt your approach accordingly. If the leadership resists pay transparency, make your request part of a broader career development discussion.
The bottom line is that you have legal rights when discussing your pay but engage in respectful conversations. Don’t be afraid to discuss it with your manager outside the annual pay discussions. If you want to discuss your salary, it’s essential to understand your legal rights, research industry benchmarks, and approach the conversation confidently and tactfully.