Pay Ranges, Yes. Everyone's Salary in Public, No

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1. 01Pay Ranges, Yes. Everyone's Salary in Public, No

   Good morning. I run a small design studio in Singapore with twelve employees. Some people say every company should publish every employee's salary. Today, I'll argue that this goes too far, even though some openness is good.

   早上好。我在新加坡经营一家有十二名员工的小型设计工作室。有人说，每家公司都应该公布每位员工的工资。今天我要论证的是：虽然一定程度的公开是好事，但这样做就太过了。

2. 02Where I Agree

   Let me start with where I agree. The EU's Pay Transparency Directive says applicants have the right to know the starting pay or range, and employers can't ask about pay history. I think those are good rules.

   我先说说我同意的地方。欧盟的《薪酬透明度指令》规定，求职者有权了解起薪或薪资范围，雇主也不能询问过去的薪资情况。我认为这些都是很好的规定。

   Source: Directive (EU) 2023/970 of the European Parliament and of the Council (Pay Transparency Directive), Article 5, EUR-Lex

3. 03Where I Disagree

   Where I disagree is the next step: publishing each person's exact salary with their name for everyone to see. That's a different thing, and I see three problems with it.

   我不同意的是下一步：把每个人的具体工资连同名字一起公布，让所有人都能看到。这是另一回事，我认为这里面有三个问题。

4. 04Problem 1: Privacy

   First, privacy. Someone's pay can reveal personal things. Maybe they asked to work fewer hours to care for a parent, or they accepted lower pay for more flexibility. They shouldn't have to explain those choices to the whole office.

   第一，隐私。一个人的工资可能会透露出个人的事情。也许他们为了照顾父母申请了减少工作时间，或者为了更灵活的工作方式接受了较低的工资。他们不应该被迫向整个办公室解释这些选择。

5. 05Problem 2: Numbers Without Context

   Second, numbers don't show context. A salary list doesn't show who has rare skills, who brings in big clients, or who joined during a difficult year. Without context, people may draw the wrong conclusions.

   第二，数字无法说明背景。一张工资表看不出谁拥有稀缺的技能，谁带来了大客户，或者谁是在困难的年份加入的。没有背景，人们可能会得出错误的结论。

6. 06Problem 3: Less Flexibility for Small Teams

   Third, in a small company like mine, I sometimes need to make special arrangements, like a raise to keep someone who got another offer. Fully public salaries could turn every decision into a team debate.

   第三，在像我们这样的小公司，我有时需要做一些特殊安排，比如给拿到别家录用通知的员工加薪来留住他。如果工资完全公开，每一个决定都可能变成整个团队的辩论。

7. 07A Better Middle Path

   So what's the alternative? Publish pay ranges and explain how pay is decided. Let workers share their own pay if they want to. But don't force every name and number onto a public list.

   那么，替代方案是什么呢？公布薪资范围，并说明工资是怎么决定的。员工如果愿意，可以自己分享工资。但不要强制把每个人的名字和数字都放到一张公开的名单上。

8. 08Conclusion

   In conclusion, I believe in transparent rules, but private details. Openness should protect workers, not expose them. Thank you.

   总之，我主张规则要透明，但个人细节要保密。公开透明应该是为了保护员工，而不是让他们暴露在众人面前。谢谢大家。