Why the big secret?
I’ve always been somewhat intrigued as to why over 95% of the jobs that are listed in various media platforms do not carry that all important ‘what’s-in-it-for-me?’. I don’t mean details about medical insurance, vacation leave or career prospects– which are no less important. But, why does almost every employer looking to recruit staff omit any mention of the salary?
Many organisations including those in the hospitality industry go to extreme lengths to spell out a long list of responsibilities, the required skill set, expected academic qualifications, desired experience, a description of the company and its culture, provision of duty meals, uniforms and several other reasons why those aspiring to land a job, should be working there. All good to know stuff - but there’s one vital piece of information that invariably remains a closed secret. How much does the job pay? Sadly, only a very few think it important to disclose it.
COVID-19 literally turned the world upside down forcing businesses to lay off staff and even temporarily close down… some for good. Now that a teeny weenie semblance of ‘business as usual’ begins to slowly emerge, the hospitality industry in particular, is finding it hard to recruit staff – both from a qualitative and quantitative perspective. That’s because workers now have so much leverage in the job market to call the shots. Employers advertise jobs, applicants are interviewed, and jobs are offered to potentially suitable candidates, who accept it and then do not turn up for work. And companies don’t seem to get it.
Even before the pandemic, to the majority of human beings seeking employment, remuneration is the most notable concern. When they apply for a job, they need to know whether the pay they get is adequate to support themselves and their family. For starters, if they are unaware of what the job pays, many consider the process of applying and waiting (in hope) for a ‘call up’ - a waste of time. Whilst those who go through the process and get called for an interview - to then discover that the salary is less than what they expected may inwardly self-select themselves out of it, when offered employment.
Some employers consider disclosing the salary when advertising the vacancy, a disadvantage. They contend that when the applicant is aware of it, the harder it is to hire the best person at the lowest end of the available salary scale. The best way to overcome it is to keep how much is available as the salary, a secret. ‘Get the best, Pay the least’ appears to be a common hiring mindset.
Other reasons for not publicizing the salary are that competitors and current employees will then be privy to what the hotel is willing to pay. Enlightening current employees by posting salary scales in line with current market prices, for a new hire, can be a double-edged sword. On one side of the coin, existing employees may get to realise that they are underpaid. And that’s a bit scary for the company. On the other side of the coin, people who have worked for long at the same job will find that they are making more (from the annual salary rise), than the new recruit. And that’s a bit scary for the long serving employees because they could be replaced with a lesser salaried employee to do the same job.
The scarcity of finding quality staff or attracting potential future leaders in the hospitality industry could lead to more public disclosures of what the company is willing to pay. Companies that are more transparent and upfront about salaries will earn trust and respect. Because they transcend the ‘We want you to have this and that, do this and that, etc…” to include “you are worth so much to us…” Perhaps a change in the labour laws requiring employers to include a salary on job advertisements and shed light on pay equity, may be needed.
Shafeek Wahab – Editor, Hospitality Sri Lanka, Consultant, Trainer, Ex-Hotelier
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