I found an unprotected spreadsheet on a shared drive that was compiled by the HR manager. It contains 2015 base salaries and 2014 bonuses paid in 1Q15 for everyone in my business unit. It also contains comp info for everyone in another business unit that was recently sold where I used to work. There are some low performers making far more than top performers presumably due to their tenure. I'm wondering what (if anything) to do with it. Thoughts? I've got SB's to give out for quality advice.
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Nothing? What do you plan on doing with it? I don't really see any upside to acting on any of it. You do now know how your company compensation policies work, which is nice.
Not really; these are old salaries that were grandfathered in from the company that sold the division I work in now. My new company pays market, but my current coworkers are all from the old company and paid much higher than market.
Definitely do not show anyone that document or let them know you have it. But it will be a great tool to utilize for upping your salary.
That's what I was thinking: mention it my year end review to get an increase to my base. The worst performer on our team makes around 30% more than higher performers. I could at least get bumped to his base.
If you go in and say, "I know BreakingRich is making 30% more than everyone else, but produces the worst work. I want a 60% raise now." You will get questioned on how you know that information. You will look like an asshole. And you will show that you may be missing another aspect of their work which produces value to the company.
You could attempt a bluff offer saying you received for 40% more elsewhere (the amount equivalent to where you should be in the HR payroll)
Just mention that x, y, and z accomplishments have demonstrated superior value-add and you want a raise to [$3-4k from budgeted max on that spreadsheet.] Divulging the source is career suicide.
The problem with this is that you have the salaries but don't know why they are getting this pay so you don't have a strong position to negotiate. If you can get these higher paid people to volunteer their information themselves maybe you have a way. Nobody gets brought on board by accident.
Other than cell phone snapping don't do a damn thing. If you're a boyscout and legit found it by accident not knowing what it was, tell HR to lock her shit down.
+1 this
Only if you really need it: take pictures with your cell phone when nobody else is physically present and when there is no CCTV camera or something like that pointed at you. Don't screenshot it (might leave breadcrumbs on your work computer). I don't really see the need to take pictures though.
Personally I would just memorize the numbers and gtfo.
Company A sold a division to company B and another division to Company C. I used to work for company B and now work for company C. This spreadsheet is on the shared drive for Company A which is accessible to both of the acquiring companies until we are off Company A's system which is very soon.
cell phone snap it, and DONT TELL HR. REPEAT, DONT TELL HR. Best case scenario the think you are a "good guy", worst case...."you're fired". IF they already think you are a good guy then it'll all downside.
Ok so I shouldn't tell HR, but should I reference it in my year end review with my manager to bargain a higher base or never reveal it with management either?
Definitely a fire-able offense, but if you want to use it for evil, find someone you want gone, and bump up everyone else's comp so it looks like they are at the bottom of the pole in their department. Leave it somewhere they will see. Stand back and watch their resentment slowly build until they rage-quit out of some sense of inferiority.
Definitely don't do that. Not worth getting fired over.
I wouldn't modify the spreadsheet but simply sharing the file path to the shared folder that everyone already has access to would allow coworkers to see it themselves and draw their own conclusions. It could also cause morale concerns but maybe that would lead to discussions about pay being linked to performance rather than tenure alone.
Does your network keep access logs?
Stop what you are doing and roll the dice.
2- Use another PC on the network to print out copies and leave them all over the bathroom.
3- Wait until bonus time. Leave a copy in the printer.
4- Go to a place with public wifi to send it out to everyone using an anonymous email service.
5- Change some numbers and then put it on a thumb drive you leave unattended in a public place right before performance reviews.
6- Steal some notepads of the most common type in the office, randomly print out a few salaries on them. Replace the notepads on all desks with new notepads.
7- Make a facebook account. Send it to everyone's wives and girlfriends.
8- Delete it and play dumb.
9- Upload an anonymized copy to Glassdoor.
10 or higher, make a copy and leverage it to earn a better compensation structure next year.
+1 SB for your creativity sir!
underrated comment! haha
That kind of information is radioactive. You could easily weaponize it as black mail, but you may blow yourself up in the process.
Tread lightly.
My advice: Hang onto it, but keep your mouth shut about it entirely. Next time you discuss salary you'll be able to pick a very accurate peg to begin negotiations.
+1 SB Thanks for weighing in. I agree that it would be useful for negotiations with my current company. It has all the comp info for my prior company too which has very large pay swings for the same position. This company is a competitor now. Should I email it (anonymously from Office Depot) to some employees at the other company who I know would circulate it? I have been working informally with a recruiter at our current company who has already had discussions with employees over there who are on the fence.
Its not really good blackmail material because it only discloses the facts that are not privy to everyone. It is more of a good tool for negotiations.
Even so, knowing how much others earn does not change the value or worth a manager sees in you.
You don't think it would have any effect on morale?
I don't think you should do anything. Everybody knows who is being paid more/less than they are, and people have known for ages, so I don't think you'll do much change by releasing them. Also, you need to be careful as to not infringe blackmail or defamation laws in certain situations you might get involved by sharing the spreadsheets with someone. Maybe, if you want, upload the data to Glassdoor on an anonymous computer and keep it a secret (higher ups think analysts and junior associates don't know anything, and would be upset if they find out you know). Delete all info and history on who saw the spreadsheets and you're safe, in my opinion.
P.S.: I am kind of paranoid, so I wouldn't register the comp info on Glassdoor or other websites.
are you surprised by anyone's comp or bonuses
Yes that's what I was trying to communicate before but maybe I should elaborate. I am genuinely surprised by the inconsistencies. Two employees who have 20+ years experience. The high performer gets 30% less than the low performer. The low performer makes more than our manager. The only thing I can think of is tenure to explain it. At the other company, the lowest ranked analyst is very old and makes almost 3x what other higher ranked analysts make.
that's f'd up lol. HR is shitty at aligning comp ranges.
At my old brokerage (small shop) my buddy who was an analyst unbeknownst to ownership accidentally received an email with a spreadsheet that showed the company's current year P&L and future budget projections with recommendations. The owner was a gigantic bullshitter and swore his brokerage was having a record breaking year. As it turns out, the place was in the red and profit sharing dividends hadn't been paid in a couple of years.
SELL the INFORMATION and DEFECT to the SOVIET UNION.
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