随身英语 Should we talk about our salaries? 同事之间工

陈小将

你知道你的同事挣多少钱吗？你能直接问他们吗？在英国，谈论钱，尤其是工资，被人们视为禁忌，因为这个话题会让大家感到尴尬。不过也有人认为，这个禁忌对雇主有利，让他们能够借机不同工同酬，导致工资歧视现象的发生。现在应该全面提高工资的透明度吗？你和同事讨论自己的收入吗？本文探讨工资公开制度的优缺点。
Vocabulary: work 词汇：工作
It's a touchy subject. Talking socially about money can make people feel uncomfortable. But at work, have a conversation about how much people earn, and things can not only get awkward, but, in some cases, it can get you sacked.
According to a survey by the Trades Union Congress, 1 in 5 workers "have been told they can’t talk about their pay at work". This, concludes the TUC, indicates how common pay secrecy or 'gagging' clauses are in employment contracts. &#39ay secrecy clauses are a get out of jail free card for bad bosses,' said TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady. 'They stop workers from challenging unfair pay, allow top executives to hoard profits and encourage discrimination. More openness about wages is essential to building fairer workplaces.'
So, should we talk about how much we earn? It's not so simple. Even without the contractual obligations, people may still be reluctant. "I personally have found it's better not looking and not knowing," Tracy Jordan, an HR professional, told the BBC. "Even if you feel you are paid a fair wage, there will always be someone that you perceive is doing a lesser job and is earning more. Rather than feeling perpetually dissatisfied, I think ignorance can be bliss."
Money is tied up with complex emotions, Brianna McGurran, a money expert at the personal finance blog NerdWallet, told the New York Times. It involves emotions like shame, success and fear of failure. It also influences how people view you. People's money is tied to their self-worth. As a result, culturally, it can be bit of a taboo.
But all that may change. First of all, pay secrecy clauses are unenforceable in the UK due to the UK Equality Act 2010. An employee must always be able to find out if they are being discriminated against in terms of pay. In addition, The European Union is considering new legislation on pay transparency in order to reduce gender pay, earnings and pension gaps. So, for better or worse it may be something we all have to get used to. Over time, talking about our salaries may become just another matter for small talk.

陈小将