Half our workers unaware of worth

ALMOST half of Aussie workers have no idea what they are worth and many believe salary is unrelated to capability or performance.

SEEK research revealed just six in 10 workers had a clear idea of how much they should be paid and although 47 per cent believed salary was influenced by the average pay packet for similar roles, more than a quarter believed it came down to the candidate’s confidence.

About a third (37 per cent) believed salary was a factor of how many years a person had spent in an industry or job.

SEEK HR director Rebecca Supierz said employers were placing more importance on a worker’s influence rather than their years of experience alone.

“For some roles where career paths are a bit more linear and experience is linked to how long you have been in the role, (the length of time spent with a company) is still relevant but employers really want to know what impact you have had,” she said.

“If you stay in one job in one company for five years and have little impact, that’s different to someone who has worked in projects and been motivated. It’s becoming more about what you have done.”

The SEEK research also revealed half of workers (52 per cent) felt uncomfortable asking for a pay rise.

In general, women were less likely to be planning a salary chat with their boss (61 per cent said it was unlikely) than men (40 per cent).

Employability specialist Rebecca Fraser said it was a genuine concern for businesses if employees did not feel comfortable talking about pay.

“They become a risk of departure as moving on from the business is easier in a lot of instances than actually going to your manager and asking (for more money),” she said.

“It happens more for females than males.”