# Want to know what all your co-workers earn? Be careful what you wish for | André Spicer

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/want-to-know-what-all-your-co-workers-earn-be-careful-what-you-wish-for-andre-spicer/
- Published: 2026-11-04T13:42:27+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T10:08:35+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/04/pay-transparency-coworkers-earn-know-open-workers
- Topics: Politics

## Key points

- EHRC proposes access to colleagues’ individual pay details.
- Existing reporting reduced the UK gender pay gap by 19%.
- Greater transparency may also affect morale and productivity.

## Summary

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is proposing that workers should be able to request detailed information about colleagues’ pay, bonuses and perks, aiming to reduce gender inequality. The article argues that greater openness can expose unfair differences, but individual-level disclosure may also bring costs, including resentment, lower motivation and staff leaving.

Existing UK rules require large employers to publish gender pay gaps, and some sectors to report the gender balance among staff earning over £100,000. A study found UK gender pay reporting reduced the pay gap by 19%, mainly by slowing men’s pay growth; research also found benefits for some highly paid women and improved mental health among women in Denmark. The article says transparency has not changed occupational choices and has sometimes coincided with lower wage growth and productivity.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.