Gen X’ers may be a bit uncomfortable if you openly blurt out how much you’re making at the office—but it’s less of a taboo for Gen Z, according to a new survey from Kickresume.
The poll, which measured 1,850 anonymous employees worldwide, found only 31% of people say salary is openly discussed at their job–while 37% have rules against discussing pay. But many younger workers don’t mind being transparent: Nearly 40% of Gen Z respondents say they openly discuss salary at work—almost double the rate of Gen X.
Even when it’s not allowed by their bosses, they’re still talking about their next paychecks. In fact, 18% of Gen Zers said they have talked about their pay even when it wasn’t allowed by their employers.
The reason may just be because they’re more interested: 32% admitted being genuinely curious about co-workers’ compensation, with younger female employees leading the trend. In contrast to Gen Z’s curiosity, 24% of Gen X respondents said they feel awkward when pay is discussed; for Gen Z, just 15% said the same.
For a cost-burdened generation, from stagnant wages to high living costs, young people are notably steering clear of open roles if companies choose not to list their salaries in the job descriptions. But that issue may soon be a thing of the past: Since 2023, states like New York have spearheaded salary transparency legislation in employee job postings, with at least six states following suit this year alone.
Experts say salary transparency is key to breaking the wage gap
While it may be uncomfortable to discuss your salary with other coworkers, experts say it’s exactly what the workforce needs.
“Salary transparency benefits everyone. The more open we are about what we make, it forces the powers that be to make fair and equitable decisions,” Anna Papalia, a career coach and the author of Interviewology, told Fortune.
“The only reason an organization wouldn’t want their employees talking about pay is if they have something to hide,” she added.
Most studies show that when companies make pay more transparent, the gender pay gap shrinks. But it’s not necessarily that a woman’s pay rises; rather, it’s because greater transparency tends to slow the growth of pay among men.
According to a 2025 study from the American Economic Journal on Pay Transparency and Gender Equality, “four out of six papers find that pay transparency policies reduce the gender pay gap.”
Papalia added that while women and people of color have been historically paid less, “one of the best ways to break pay inequality is to be transparent about pay.”
