Saturday, March 14, 2020

The effects of making employee salaries public

The effects of making employee salaries publicWere living in a rapidly evolving world where almost everything is done online and the very notion of privacy seems to be evaporating. Most of us are growing increasingly more comfortable having ur lives made public through a variety of social networks. This new open and public approach to sharing information is affecting companies as well. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) How so? Many companies are embracing the notion of complete public transparency and disclosure in ways they never have before. Everything is fhigkeitly on the table for being made public, including employee salariessomething that up until recently has long been held in the strictest of confidence. Lets dig deeper into this concept of employee pay transparency, and how its affecting the status quo.The idea behind making employee salaries public is an arguably noble onemore and more companies are seeking to embrace the philoso phy that being open and honest with their employees about all things is an effective way to forge more progressive, sincere, and honest employee/employer relationships. It can also help address some unfortunate inequities in compensation that women and minority groups sometimes face, an issue that gets inadequate attention, especially when salary information is kept hidden.The Wall Street Journal published an article on the good, the bad, and the downright awkward aspects of companies adopting an open salary policy. According to the article, The idea of open pay is to get pay and performance problems out on the table for discussion, eliminate salary inequalities, and spark better performance But open pay also is sparking some awkward conversations between co-workers comparing their paychecks, and puncturing egos among those whose salaries dont sync with their self-image.The truth is, as employees we can make a direct correlation between our pay and how our employers perceive and val ue our contributions, so having this information helps take the guesswork out of knowing where we standboth as individuals and in comparison with our colleagues.So, despite its good intentions, when salaries are revealed employers can count on seeing a potentially disruptive effectwhile those employees who are at the top of the pay scale will likely be grateful and appreciative (unless they feel that theyre still not being paid enough compared to their coworkers), those at the bottom of the salary food chain can count on being unhappy and confronting their bosses to help remedy the situation. Then, if balance regarding compensation is not reached, it will likely lead to some employees seeking better opportunities elsewhere. Making salary information public can also lead to potential awkwardness and strife among colleagues who sit at opposite ends of the compensation spectrum, which can adversely affect productivity and motivation.It seems clear that although there are some truly goo d potential reasons for publicly disclosing salary information, there are some significant potential pitfalls that employers should be on the lookout for when making the decision to do so. Progressive employers who react quickly and decisively to address issues regarding pay inequity will be in the best position to quell any potential disruptions, while those who are slow or late to respond may create some tension among their staff or lose some valuable talent to competitors who are willing to pay your employees what they feel they deserve.Perhaps the best approach for handling the issue of whether or not to publicly disclose salary information is to plan carefullyand proceed with caution.

Monday, March 9, 2020

This is Why Going with Your Gut Can Seriously Pay Off in Your Career

This is Why Going with Your Gut Can Seriously Pay Off in Your Career If you feel like youre navigating your career as a woman in a mans world, Kate Baldwin has some advice for you Be bold, and dont doubt yourself, she advises. Sometimes it feels safer to sit back and consider your ideas and responses, but Ive had great opportunities because I had a support ordnungsprinzip that welches indirectly or directly nudging me to go with my gut whether it welches going for a job or sharing my ideas.As a manager at Cisco, Baldwins been fortunate enough to enjoy the resources that a large company can offer, while still forging partieal connections that have accelerated her career. I still run into the woman who conducted my first interview around the office, she says. Ive also been able to go and recruit other women to Cisco.Cisco is Hiring Browse Opportunities.Baldwin recently spoke to Fairygodboss about how shes landed a role that perfectly blends her past experiences, why she loves being pa rte of a company with an incredible group of female leaders, and how shes learned to put a positive spin on rejection.How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?I just recently started my role in TAC (Technical Assistance Center), managing the team that creates training for our support team. Its the perfect combination of my past experiences at Cisco I spent 4 years working in internal IT Support for our Cisco collaboration products before I moved to Learning Services, delivering enterprise training to Cisco employees. I love that my new role brings me closer to our customers and partners.Why Cisco? How did you come onboard?I was recruited for Cisco at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Technology event Its a great memory, and despite how large Cisco can be, I still run into the woman who conducted my first interview around the office. Ive also been able to go back and recruit other women to Cisco.Whats the first (and/or last) thing you do at work every day?Check in with my team on Webex Teams My team is dispersed across the globe, and whether we are asking about family, sharing funny videos, or digging into the latest work challenge, we are constantly connecting through Teams. It seems like a Cisco commercial, but its true a tool cant make up for genuine in person connection, but it definitely closes the gap significantly.Whats the fruchtwein unique or interesting aspect of Cisco?In an industry that is light on women, we have an incredible group of females on our executive leadership team Cisco walks the talk there and calls ourselves out when we dont feel like we are living up to the high standard we set for ourselves when it comes to inclusion and diversity.Whats something youre especially good at at-work?Giving it my all. Im genuinely and naturally inclined to give my best to whats in front of me, whether thats speed mentoring with young girls in STEM, putting on an event for a Cisco Employee Resource Organizati on, or leading a project for my day job.What about outside of work?I love to bring people together and am well known amongst my friends for being the person who organizes a soccer team, puts on the holiday party, or invites a few groups of friends together for a ladies happy hour.What are you trying to improve on?Listening In taking a new role, Ive had a lot of time to practice this. Its so important that you actually listen to what someone is saying versus just waiting for your chance to talk you end up with a much more robust experience and better outcome in the end. Ive learned so much but being patient and listening versus jumping to a solution or an opinion. It doesnt come naturally, but Im constantly checking myself on it to make it a habit.Whats the one career move youve made that youre most proud of?For the past two years, I have been getting my MBA at Duke while working, going up to campus every other Friday and Saturday. It was a significant sacrifice of time and energy, but also one that prompted so much growth. Being able to transition to a new challenge in a new role a few months after graduation is a satisfying application of all that effort.What do you love most about Cisco?My company is all about its employees. As a company, we have the opportunity to take part in incredible, high-impact projects around the globe. Cisco was a sponsor for the rio de janeiro 2016 Olympics, and in addition to changing the face of Rios IT infrastructure and providing the backbone for the whole grand event, Cisco sponsored eight employees to carry a torch in the Torch Relay. Cisco gave me that once in a lifetime experience that I could have never even imagined.What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?Since graduation in December, some of my MBA friends have been trying to keep on track with professional development by having a monthly book club. Our latest book was Multipliers and it was incredibly insightful. Highly recommendedWhats your 1 piece of adv ice for women who are looking for jobs right now?Be bold, and dont doubt yourself Theres a role out there and a company that is perfect for you. Any rejection just gets you closer to that right place.Who is/was the most influential person in your life and why?My mom has been a quiet but huge presence in my life. She was the main breadwinner as a nurse, and at the hospital, everyone knows exactly who she is, from the security guard to ER doctors shes known for being kick ass at her job and a hard worker. She taught me that I could do whatever I wanted with my life.Whats the most memorable piece of career advice youve received?Go for it Sometimes asa woman in a mans world, it feels safer to sit back and consider your ideas and responses, but Ive had great opportunities because I had a support system that was indirectly or directly nudging me to go with my gut whether it was going for a job or sharing my ideas. What was the best quality of the best boss youve ever had?Direct and tran sparent. He taught me that being a leader is about seeing the best of your team and challenging them to meet that high expectation. --Fairygodboss is proud to partner with Cisco. Find a job there today