So far, 17 other states require their companies to divulge salary ranges for their positions. Corporate Culture expert Joshua Evans says it's a complicated concept. "It could cost some animosity between organizations that have large discrepancies in their salaries. However, this type of policy has the capability to strengthen their teams which will lead to lower turn-over and higher productivity." It could also lead to a line of employees demanding raises. Evans says either way, businesses should make their own decisions. "This should be a decision that companies should make for themselves --- and not be thrust upon them by politicians!" It's a dicey cultural shift.
Almost Half of Younger Workers Have Loose Lips About Their Salaries!
Making salaries public isn't mandatory in Texas, but could be legislated here in the future. Evans says it could shake up some companies. "There are a lot of people out there that grew up with the belief that we should never share salaries. A lot of this stems from the fact that organizations want to keep it behind closed doors. That's because if everybody knew what everybody was making - it could open up a lot of doors for new negotiations!" Evans says it could cause added tension in work teams - or lead to more productivity. He also says it could be scary. "I think people are scared to find out if they're making the least --- and also scared to find out they are making the most!!!"
A growing number of employers already include salary information in job ads.
photo:Getty