It's salary week, your biweekly boost when your financial journey momentarily feels like it's on the right track.
But that excitement doesn't last too long if managing your money is stressful.
That is particularly true since data has shown that most people link their salary to self-worth and are very protective of sharing it with others.
As America's chaotic return to the office is finding its feet one may not be clear on what the new house rules are now.
Beyond what to wear to work, what to eat and what your Covid status is, what topics are polite office chatter and which ones are off limits?
Here is one topic that's considered fairly controversial for some generations and completely fair game for others.
TheStreet
What's In a Number?
Talking about how much money people make is still treated as pretty taboo. For many people discussing how much we earn is still a no-go.
But those born in the late '90s and early 2000s, commonly referred to as Generation Z, are changing that conversation.
According to a recent Bankrate study, conducted by research firm YouGov and which polled 2,449 U.S. adults in mid-February, almost half of Gen Z felt they were underpaid by their employers.
This was to some extent due to a rise in more open and honest discussions about salaries in the workplace, Bankrate said.
According to the study, 26% of people part of this rising new generation have shared their salary with a coworker, and 25% have shared their pay with professional acquaintances.
But their older counterparts have maintained their silence when it comes to money.
Baby boomers, or those between the ages of 57 to 75, were the least inclined to discuss compensation with individuals who could assist them in evaluating their own pay, according to the study.
Despite that tradition, today there are growing calls to make it easier to talk about the topic, especially if it helps women and people of color get paid equitably in the workplace.
Other Findings
The opportunity to work from home or have a more flexible schedule is more vital to workers now than it was before the pandemic, according to a majority of 55% of the people surveyed.
“Between the high number of job openings, elevated inflation as well as lessons and opportunities resulting from the pandemic, many workers are restless,” says Bankrate Senior Economic Analyst and Washington Bureau Chief Mark Hamrick.
“It is remarkable that so many Americans place a higher priority on the conditions of their employment over pay, not that compensation is unimportant by any means," Hamrick added.
Some 52% of respondents cited higher pay as being of more importance. That may be why they've dusted off their resumes and are looking for a new job.
“While it is reasonable to ask an employer about the prospects for additional compensation, or better working conditions, it is sometimes simply more effective to seek a new job to achieve these goals,” Hamrick said.
Some 51% of Americans reported being very likely or somewhat likely to be looking for a new job in the next 12 months, according to Bankrate.
