Many dental practices would prefer their staff not to ask and share details of what each is paid. Some reasoning behind this could be that the practice is trying to avoid the following scenarios.

• • Staff feel their compensation is lower than others, without good reason.

• • Jealously amongst team members.

• • Discontent.

• • Management is being approached for pay rises based on what others are paid rather than improved performance.

In most countries, including Australia, employees have the right to share details about their own wages with others they work with. Talking about wages can actually promote transparency and help identify pay disparities.

Can we foster a workplace environment that acknowledges the likelihood of employees, at some point, sharing salary information, while also ensuring they understand and appreciate the valid reasons for variations in pay?

How to Approach the Situation

Promote Transparency
Rather than discouraging discussions about wages, many companies are moving towards more transparency about pay structures and compensation policies.
Transparent pay structures can promote a sense of fairness and reduce the likelihood of wage-related disputes.
Clearly communicated wage structures for different roles can help manage expectations and reduce speculation and rumours about pay.

Open Up Communication
Encourage open dialogue between management and staff about compensation.
Regularly addressing compensation questions in team meetings or one-on-one discussions can help alleviate concerns and misunderstandings.

Create a Positive Culture
Encourage a workplace culture focused on collaboration, mutual respect and recognition, where employees feel valued and fairly compensated.
Celebrate team and individual achievements and ensure recognition is evenly distributed.

Establish Clear Compensation Policies
Develop clear and fair compensation policies, ensuring that pay is linked to performance, experience, and market rates.
Regularly review and adjust salaries to reflect market conditions, individual performance and company performance.
Make policies available to all employees and provide opportunities for employees to discuss and understand them.
The JPPS Staff Remuneration Matrix is specifically designed to manage your staff wages effectively and fairly, allowing every team member to understand why they are paid at a certain rate and what they can do to increase it. If you have not heard of the Staff Remuneration Matrix, go HERE to discover more.

Address Concerns Promptly
When concerns about wages arise, address them promptly, openly and fairly.
Unresolved concerns about pay can lead to decreased morale, productivity, and increased turnover.

Undertaking the task of refining how you determine staff remuneration is a positive step. The outcome is a system that aligns employees and employers, acting as a motivating force to enhance your team’s performance.

I encourage you to watch a pertinent episode of the podcast I co-host with fellow business consultant, Shannyn Merlo. Our podcast, “Practising the Art of Small Business,” explores this topic more deeply. You can access this episode HERE.