Indians only share pay info with a family member: LinkedIn report

LinkedIn, the world’s largest online professional network, today launched findings from the latest edition of its Workforce Confidence Index. Based on the survey responses of 4,684 professionals in India, findings from June 4 to Sep 9, 2022 reveal that sharing pay information at the workplace is considered taboo in India with just 1 in 10 professionals saying they would discuss their salaries with coworkers they trust (13 per cent) and peers they trust in other companies (9 per cent).

The report reveals that India’s overall workforce confidence has dwindled slightly, with the composite score dropping from +55 in July to +52 in September 2022. This is due to a volatile perception towards jobs, finances, and career progress in these times of global uncertainty. The report also finds that despite a dip in overall confidence, India’s workforce remains optimistic about navigating these challenges as 7 in 10 professionals say they are confident about reaching the next level in their field (74 per cent), their work experience & education (71 per cent), and chances of their income increasing (68 per cent).

Gen Z professionals most comfortable discussing pay with family, friends, and coworkers they trust

Findings show that 61 per cent of professionals in India are more comfortable sharing their pay details with a family member, while 25 per cent are also ready to share with their close friends. Compared to the national average, younger generations in India are more likely to share their pay information with family and friends.

 Around 72 percent of Gen Z and 64 percent of millennials in India say they are comfortable sharing their pay information with family members, while 43 per cent of Gen Z and 30 percent of millennials are also willing to confide in their close friends. The report also finds that Gen Z (23 per cent) professionals are most likely to share their pay information with co-workers they trust (23 per cent), distantly followed by Millennials (16 per cent) and Gen X (10 per cent).

 “Professionals are still not comfortable to have conversations about pay in the workplace, however our LinkedIn Workforce Confidence Index data reveals that a generational shift is at play. Family and friends remain India’s closest confidantes when it comes to sharing the size of their paychecks, but the current generation of young professionals are more willing to share pay information with their coworkers and industry peers as compared to other generations. In fact, Gen Z professionals are found most likely to share their pay across their whole network as compared to any other age group. Gen Z are keen to influence change and eager to lead these conversations in the workplace,” said Nirajita Banerjee, India Managing Editor, LinkedIn News.

Millennials feel most discouraged and anxious about discussing pay with networks

Diving deeper into the reasons why sharing pay information at work is considered taboo, the report finds that 45 per cent of professionals in India say pay discussions among peers are discouraged at their workplace. Millennials (48 per cent) and Gen X professionals (47 per cent)  are most likely to agree with this statement, followed closely by Gen Z professionals (42 per cent).

Further, 36 percent of professionals in India also say they feel anxious sharing their pay information with anyone. Millennials are more likely to feel this anxiety (42 per cent) when compared to Gen Z (33 per cent) or Gen X (32 per cent) professionals. This is despite over a third (36 per cent) of India’s respondents believing that pay transparency would lead to better pay equality.

The report also finds that more than 2 in 5 professionals in India (41 per cent) feel well compensated for their work and a similar share (45 per cent) plan to ask for a raise in the next 6 months. This is being helmed by India’s younger professional generations, Gen Z (51 per cent) and Millennials (51 per cent), who are most likely to ask their boss for a raise as compared to Gen X (40 per cent) and Boomers (26 per cent).