Why Companies Should Be Open About Pay

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1. 01Why Companies Should Be Open About Pay

   Good morning. I'm a union representative in Dublin. In many workplaces, talking about pay is still seen as rude or even forbidden. Today, I'll argue that companies should be much more open about what they pay.

   早安。我是都柏林的一名工會代表。在很多工作場所，談論工資仍然被認為是不禮貌的，甚至是被禁止的。今天，我要論證的是：公司應該對自己支付的工資更加公開透明。

2. 02Europe Is Moving This Way

   This isn't just my idea. In 2023, the European Union adopted the Pay Transparency Directive. Member countries had to turn it into national law by June 7, 2026.

   這不只是我個人的想法。2023年，歐盟透過了《薪酬透明度指令》。成員國必須在2026年6月7日之前把它轉化為本國法律。

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

3. 03What the Rules Say

   Under this directive, job applicants have the right to know the starting pay or pay range, for example in the job ad or before the interview. Employers can't ask about your pay history, and contracts can't stop workers from sharing their pay.

   根據這項指令，求職者有權瞭解起薪或薪資範圍，比如在招聘廣告中或面試之前。僱主不能詢問你過去的薪資情況，勞動合同也不能禁止員工透露自己的工資。

   Source: Directive (EU) 2023/970, Articles 5 and 7, EUR-Lex

4. 04Reason 1: Hidden Pay Hides Unfairness

   Why does this matter? Because you can't fix a problem you can't see. If pay is secret, two people doing the same job can be paid very differently, and neither of them will know.

   為什麼這很重要？因為你無法解決一個看不見的問題。如果工資是保密的，兩個做同樣工作的人拿到的工資可能差別很大，而他們誰都不會知道。

5. 05Reason 2: Fairer Negotiations

   Second, openness makes negotiation fairer. Today, confident people, or people with good connections, often know what to ask for. With a published range, everyone starts with the same information.

   第二，公開透明能讓薪資談判更公平。現在，有自信的人或者人脈廣的人，往往知道該要多少。有了公開的薪資範圍，每個人都能從同樣的資訊起步。

6. 06Reason 3: Trust

   Third, openness builds trust. When a company explains how pay is decided, workers worry less about secret deals and focus more on their work.

   第三，公開透明能建立信任。當公司說明工資是怎麼決定的，員工就不會那麼擔心有暗箱操作，而能更專注於工作。

7. 07"But It Will Cause Jealousy"

   Some people say openness will cause jealousy. I'd say jealousy mostly appears when differences can't be explained. If a company has clear, fair reasons for its pay, it shouldn't be afraid to share them.

   有人說公開會引起嫉妒。我想說，嫉妒大多出現在差別無法解釋的時候。如果一家公司的薪酬有清楚、公平的理由，就不應該害怕把它們說出來。

8. 08Conclusion

   To conclude, the EU has shown that pay transparency can be written into law. Fair pay has nothing to hide. Let's stop treating salaries as a secret. Thank you.

   最後，歐盟已經證明，薪酬透明可以寫進法律。公平的工資沒有什麼好隱藏的。讓我們不要再把薪水當作秘密了。謝謝大家。

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