In today's dynamic workforce, diversity extends beyond demographics and includes generational perspectives. 

USA Today's recent survey sheds light on how different generations perceive and engage with pay transparency. It highlights the criticality of organizations to have a thoughtful compensation strategy that not only aligns with equitable pay practices but also factors in various generational perspectives when establishing their pay transparency goals.

The survey revealed intriguing insights related to the difference in how generations view pay transparency. 

While 53% of Gen Z (born 1995-2009) are advocates for pay transparency, only 39% of Boomers (born 1946-1964) share the same view.

This disparity underscores the need for tailored approaches to address varying generational attitudes.

When it came to the willingness to share salary information, the majority (83%) of Gen Z are willing to share their salary, while 60% of Millennials, 42% of Gen X, and only 33% of Boomers are comfortable disclosing their pay. 

Employees in higher-level positions (likely to be mostly Gen X or Boomers) often demonstrate reluctance towards pay transparency; according to the survey, 45% of managers are uncomfortable disclosing their income. Still, the majority (52%) of managers acknowledged pay transparency’s role in attracting and retaining talent.

The survey also found that upon discovering a pay gap….

• 72% would ask for a raise
• Over 50% would experience a decrease in motivation
• Nearly 25% would consider leaving their current role

With Millennials comprising the majority (39%) of the workforce today, companies are facing the pressure to implement fair compensation practices. Understanding the comfort levels by generation is essential when establishing a communication plan for pay transparency efforts within an organization. 

About Kamsa

Kamsa makes pay transparency easy by helping companies compare each employee's pay against the market leveraging our proprietary market compensation data.

Our proprietary market compensation data consists of our clients’ employee data that has been meticulously matched to a market title and job level to ensure it's accurate and real-time.

Our resources make it simple for People teams to establish pay transparency no matter where in the compensation journey the organization is.