Pay Transparency: Where Nobody’s Below Average
Posted on Wednesday, March 4, 2009 by Frank Roche
This is the first poster in a series of three about the effects of pay transparency. (I told you I had some strongly-held opinions.) Just to be clear:
- I abhor pay discrimination.
- I think compensation isn’t to blame for pay discrepancies.
- I believe that pay for performance works.
Note: If you want to download the full-sized version, click here. If you really like it, please leave a comment for Shawn, iFractal’s Art Director, and Andy, a graphic designer here at our shop. If you hate it, blame me. (You can leave a comment to that effect, too.)
Lance
Mar 4th, 2009
This is great Frank. I love the whole concept behind it. And I have to agree, there are better ways of obtaining pay equality.
Frank Roche
Mar 4th, 2009
Thanks, Lance. We took a little risk on this one…and more of them are coming. Some pretty provocative. Thanks for the comment…and I think there are better ways, as well. Way better. I want that to happen…but I don’t want to have to mop up after the elephants.
laurie ruettimann
Mar 4th, 2009
Brill.i.ant.
Your designer has skills, yo.
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
Laurie, isn’t that some gorgeous work? Wait until you see all three together. It’s multilayered art. We’re going to get these printed in larger format and send them out. Fun stuff.
KD
Mar 5th, 2009
Frank –
Very nice, keep the coming. That’s pretty high end work. Also, linked back to the orginal results today over at my blog – http://www.hrcapitalist.com/2009/03/salary-transparency-it-hasnt-worked-that-well-for-hr-pros.html – with a take that the reaction of HR pros to having ALL the data proves that the full transparency route is flawed…
If you can’t trust the stewards of the data to react in a mature fashion, who can you trust? What chance does the rank and file employee have of consuming that data with context, regardless of the quality of manager that’s helping them?…
Thanks for the quality work and conversation…
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
Thanks, Kris, I really appreciate it. We cooked up this idea a couple of weeks ago, and I think our designers kicked out some great stuff. Thanks very much for the linky love…I appreciate that.
You’re right about what maturity it takes to make pay transparency work.
Ben E.
Mar 5th, 2009
The graphic is fantastic and all-too-true.
KD
Mar 5th, 2009
Hey Frank -
The only improvement I would make is to get an even bigger USSR vibe to it. Nicely played…
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
Kris….lol…check out the one today called Py Transparency, Komrades.
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
Thanks, Ben…this is fun, if a bit of a stick in the eye to some who think the whole thing should open up.
Ben E.
Mar 5th, 2009
@Frank
I know that I’m near the top of the pay range for my position, and I wouldn’t want the slackers (why are they still employed here again?!?) to make an issue out of getting paid less. The only way I would encourage openness is if we were allowed to vote the losers “off the island.”
I don’t think it should open up, and I’m pretty sure that I mentioned that in a fiery comment when I answered the transparency survey.
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
Ben, right on. I would like it if losers could get voted off the island…that would be the way to go. It’s funny, it seems to me that the slackers are always the ones who complain about pay (see what KD said on his blog as verification). I’m offended sometimes when certain people make ANY money. How about that?
I’m sorry it’s taking me a while on getting the survey responses compiled…work is piling up more…but I’ll get it out soon. I think there are many echoes of your comment on the survey.
Peter Parker
Mar 5th, 2009
The message is great; the design is awesome.
Right on, Shawn!
Frank Roche
Mar 5th, 2009
@ Peter Parker…very cool stuff on there…and you got it going on as well. We’re gonna rock the place.
mszypko
Mar 6th, 2009
Frank, as always GREAT STUFF. Still waiting for the Hillary in cellophane ….wait a minute ….. never mind!
Frank Roche
Mar 6th, 2009
LOL, Mark. That might have to be a new one in the series.
Charlie
Mar 7th, 2009
I’m looking at all three, and this is my fave.
Frank Roche
Mar 7th, 2009
I like the Komrades one, just because I like the dark humor of it. But, this one tells the story the best.