To look or not to look: Finding your colleague's payslip at the printer
Working in an office means sharing resources, and sometimes you may happen to see something that you shouldn't. Should you peer or walk away - that is the question...
Listen to KZN responding to the debate about finding a payslip in the office printer, or read the details under the podcast.
Keeping your salary a secret to those you work with saves managers from having awkward discussions about why your colleague is earning more or less than you.
It also eliminates potential friction at work and discourages collective bargaining, but what happens when you do find out what your colleague earns? It can put you in a tricky situation.
It has happened to me twice during my working career where a payslip was left lying somewhere it shouldn’t have been, and I’ve seen what someone else was earning.
Read: Yay or nay to socialising with your colleagues after hours?
One of the instances I remember was when I went to the printer to collect some important documentation I printed. When I got back to my desk, I sifted through the papers and came across a document that didn't quite fit the pile. I glanced over, and when I saw that it was a colleague's payslip, I hurried to the printer to return it.
I mean, any 'private' document left in a public area and easy for anyone to view loses its privacy status, right? But I think there’s a difference between picking up a payslip, knowing what it is and looking at it, as opposed to picking it up and not seeing the info on it.
Read: 'I am in love with a colleague but will lose my job'
What would you do if you found your colleague's payslip at the office printer? Should you look or not?