The messy reality of salary secrecy.

Pay transparency—yikes, it’s one of those topics that makes everyone squirm, but avoiding it does more harm than good. Let’s be real: when salaries are shrouded in secrecy, it doesn’t just make things awkward—it allows inequity and mistrust to thrive. And here’s the kicker: people are already talking about pay, just in whispers instead of open, productive conversations. In this episode, Kim and Jason take a no-nonsense approach to tackling the discomfort. From real stories of pay gaps to the tangled emotions and messy realities behind compensation conversations, they discuss how a lack of transparency impacts trust and fairness, and share practical tips for making compensation more equitable. Whether you’re trying to influence change at your organization or navigate these conversations as an employee, this is your guide to addressing one of the workplace’s biggest taboos—without losing your humanity.

Get all of the show notes at RadicalCandor.com/podcast.

Episode Links:

• 7 Steps for Radical Pay Transparency to Narrow Disparities
• New Laws Force Honesty About Pay. Companies Are Catching Up.
• Designing Fair Compensation Systems
• Pay Transparency: What It Is and How to Do It Right | Built In
• Your Right to Discuss Wages | National Labor Relations Board
• Payscale

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Chapters:

(00:00:00 ) Introduction
Kim and Jason introduce the episode and the listener's question about pay transparency.

(00:03:09 ) Legality of Pay Discussions
The legal landscape of discussing salaries in the workplace.

(00:06:32 ) Real Stories of Pay Inequity
A personal experience of discovering and addressing pay gaps. 

(00:10:18 ) Building a Compensation Philosophy
The importance of having a framework for determining salaries.

(00:12:09 ) Why Pay Disparities Happen
Examples of pay disparities in the workplace and the reasons behind them.

(00:16:09 ) Theory of Compensation
The process of setting a fair salary band based on market data.

(00:21:38 ) Efficiency of Salary Formulas
How setting a compensation framework saves time and prevents inequality.

(00:28:06 ) Transparency in Recruiting
The benefits of sharing salary ranges in job postings and clarifying compensation processes.

(00:33:13 ) Fixing Pay Disparities with Candor
Strategies to proactively identify and address inequities in compensation.

(00:42:12 ) Radical Candor Tips
Practical tips for creating transparent compensation systems.

(00:43:33 ) Conclusion