Main image via The Register

While attitude towards work and working cultures may differ in countries around the world, there used to be at least one commonality that transcends borders: that you should never discuss or reveal your salary to colleagues or even friends.

The idea behind this prohibition is clearly to prevent discontent among employees as no two people are paid the same despite doing the same job and having the same level of experience and expertise.

But, in light of a recent push for pay equality and transparency, reports have surfaced on the Internet that reveals the existence of Google Docs that encourages people in the entertainment industry to share – anonymously, of course – information about their salaries.

Image via People Development Network

If that alone doesn’t put every HR executive in a state of panic, the spreadsheets also ask employees to state their gender, race, level of experience, job title, and studio or network they work for.

These spreadsheets which have already accumulated hundreds of entries combined confirms the very reason for the existence of these spreadsheets: pay disparity between men, women, and people of colour.

Image via BusinessTech

A quick scan of a spreadsheet titled “TV WRITERS SALARY” reveals that a male co-executive producer with The CW Television Network made US$25,000 (RM97,135) per episode, whereas a female co-executive producer with the same network only made US$16,500 (RM62,166.40) per episode.

Likewise, there’s a salary disparity between a female co-producer who is not a person of colour and a female co-producer who is a person of colour. There was a US$4,000 (RM15,541.60) salary gap between the two women with the former making more than the latter!

But, the doc also revealed instances where two people with the same job title working for the same studio or network are paid equally despite their race. For instance, two co-producers for NBC are paid the same salary of US$16,500 (RM64,122.30) per episode produced, giving hope that perhaps pay disparity is not an industry norm. 

To view the doc for yourself, click here.

Are you for or against disclosing your salary information for the sake of pay transparency, and why? Let us know!