Do you know how much an electrician makes a year? What about a professor of philosophy at a public college? Or a mermaid performer (which absolutely is a real job)? While Google can be your friend in many ways, it’s not always clear what you might be getting yourself into, especially since salaries can vary depending on level of education, experience, and even what city the job is located in. There's a lot to think about, and it may make you feel even more uncertain about your path in life. Don't you wish you knew which job—among the millions of listings—will offer you the most money with a level of fulfillment that is unmatched anywhere else? Don't worry, you're not alone.
So let’s have an honest discussion about salary transparency. Why is it so rare to find? Especially now more than ever, the rising cost of living is only outmatched by the rising costs of tertiary education. If one google search tells you a pro mermaid makes $15/hour and another says mermaids make $6,000 a gig, would you want to invest your time and money into Mermaid Academy? After all, that’s a pretty significant gap and you want returns on your investment. Let’s dive in (no pun intended).
Shady job, seeking reliable schmuck.
One of the main reasons companies state they don’t post salaries in their job listings is because they want candidates that are passionate about the job, not just about the money. Contrary to this belief, if you've ever rented/lived in a major city, you may understand that it's easier to develop a passion for work when your passion for having a roof over your head is first satisfied. More and more, the younger generations are completely ignoring job listings that make no mention of salary, with Adobe’s Future Workforce Study citing 85% of Gen-Z will scroll past such listings.
Whether this is tied to the increasing cost of living or if it is simply a generational shift in being more open about taboo subjects such as salaries (or both), current trends point to a clear need for companies to become a lot more transparent about what they are offering. Being transparent is now a valued component of the job search experience, with so many people being burned by negative experiences of being promised one thing but offered another. Even Monster, a Canadian platform for job listings, is aware of this practice and warns potential candidates of something called “wrongful hiring” wherein employers fail to deliver on promises related to wages, duties and responsibilities, or even the work environment. But being able to take legal action only applies if you’ve already accepted the job and does nothing for those whose time is wasted sitting through rounds of interviews only to find out later that they’re being played.
Living is expensive.
The onus is now on applicants to be savvy about identifying legit jobs. The more experience you’ve had with the whole job search circus, the better you typically get at recognizing certain red flags. For example, when I was nineteen I applied for a job at a retailer, went through two rounds of interviews and training, only then to be told a portion of my pay would go toward a charity I had never heard of. This meant I would legally be paid below the minimum wage. Nothing against charity but a girl’s got accumulating student loans. I quit the job the very day I completed training and have been wary ever since. That doesn’t mean it’s been smooth sailing since I learned my lesson–my article ‘Why is researching salaries so hard?’ highlights yet another experience I had with non-transparent pay years later.
When I applied to oxio, I knew exactly how much my hourly wage would be (hint: if you’re curious to see the starting salary for a customer care specialist at oxio, check out the article I linked above). I was also pleased to find out there were no unpleasant surprises, regarding vacations and benefits. Looking back, I can say it did take a lot of the stress off of the onboarding process and I was able to begin budgeting for all of life’s expenses in advance. Mermaid school, here I come.
Unfortunately, rent in Canada is a lot higher than it used to be, even accounting for inflation. Although there are dips here and there, renters are putting more of their paychecks toward rent than the suggested >30%. Recently, Zillow came out with a study stating that, on average, renters in the US making minimum wage would either need to rent a place with three other roommates or work four full-time jobs to afford a two-bedroom rental to not go over the golden 30% rule. Neither of these options sound very pleasant but we can’t exactly judge America for the state of rental costs because it’s not so different up north. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives did a report back in 2019 that showed a full-time minimum wage worker could not afford even a one-bedroom apartment in 97% of Canadian cities. Things have not improved since 2019 as wages have stagnated and rent has gone up, along with gas and the cost of food.
With the younger generations getting priced out of the housing market and struggling to pay rent, it isn’t surprising that they can't afford to entertain vague job listings. While, sure, one could feasibly afford a home in Regina, Saskatchewan on a $48,450 annual salary, this doesn’t account for the fact that
a) one would need to save up for a down payment amongst other costs associated with home ownership and
b) unless you already reside in one of Canada’s “affordable” cities, no one really wants to uproot their entire life to move somewhere far away from friends and family.
Change should always start at home.
How transparent salary works at oxio.
At oxio, everyone’s salaries are posted in an internal directory that everyone has access to. That means someone in the Customer Care department can go check to see what someone in, say, the Technical Support department is making and what the salary range seems to be. When I asked my coworkers how they felt about the salary transparency policy at oxio, the responses were fairly similar. Although it’s there and available to check at any time, being content with one’s own salary has seemingly eliminated the need for checking other people’s:
“I think it’s sick as hell. Seeing the salaries hasn't motivated me to consider any other pathways in or outside of the company because salary isn't the biggest motivating factor for me. I like this company because of the people and the values, and because I enjoy the work. I don't dread coming to work, so the salary doesn't matter as much to me” – Jennah, Customer Care Specialist.
This poignant quote was also pretty much repeated by another member of our CC team:
“I don’t even check it tbh 😂” - Jayden, Customer Care Specialist. (This was followed up with “people quote me all the time on account of my wisdom and great analogies/metaphors.”)
Recently, a member of the Customer Care team was promoted to the Technical Support team after a lot of hard work and proving himself capable for the position. Here is what he had to say about how oxio’s transparent salary policy played a role:
“It gives me a lot of inspiration to move up as much as I can in my current role and within the company in general, and in a way helps me decide what my next move is career-wise” – Jonny, Tech Support.
And, finally, when I spoke with a new addition to the Customer Care team, she stated:
“I didn't apply through a job posting, so I didn't know the salary beforehand. I was told the salary in my first interview, without needing to ask. [...] When I read the policy during onboarding, I actually realized there was even more merit and practicality to it than I'd given it credit for before. I couldn't have confidence in an employer that doesn't support it ever again.” – Kris, Customer Care Specialist.
What Kris says is likely true for a lot of people. Once you realize that salary transparency can be implemented without any issues–or any of the drama that many companies say they’re trying to avoid–it just feels like a given for any honest work environment.
A better future.
For a lot of us, young or old, life can often feel uncertain. Transparency goes a long way, especially when it comes to something that could be someone’s livelihood. And oxio’s long-standing mission has been innovative, fair and equitable internet access, but these traits also extend beyond internet access. It also applies to access to a future of opportunities. Eventually, all employers may have to follow suit when a new generation of workers become less and less likely to put their faith into a job that treats salaries like a secret formula. For now, let’s encourage open and honest discussion and try to lead the way for a more transparent future.
