[HN Gopher] Compensation as a Reflection of Values
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       Compensation as a Reflection of Values
        
       Author : timf
       Score  : 44 points
       Date   : 2021-03-04 21:44 UTC (1 hours ago)
        
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       | smasher164 wrote:
       | I really want to see this model scale somehow. I've spoken with
       | friends about this model, and it's hard for them to get past the
       | idea of compensation as a proxy for value. The discussion
       | eventually devolves into                   - X type of employee
       | is more valuable than Y type of employee, therefore they should
       | be paid more.         - There is no mechanism or incentive for
       | growth (a.k.a the career ladder argument).
        
         | vecplane wrote:
         | If an employee is more valuable, why shouldn't that employee
         | demand to be paid more?
         | 
         | If a job or position is less valuable, why shouldn't that
         | position be paid less?
        
       | dataangel wrote:
       | I think one unlisted negative of this is leaving people feeling
       | like they can't voluntarily choose to work less. I have seen many
       | people make the conscious decision to take a smaller workload
       | with the expectation of a smaller bonus. I would anticipate in
       | such a workplace that although fewer people will be motivated to
       | work themselves to the bone, that inevitably there will be some
       | people who will anyway either because they like the job or
       | because they have nothing else to do. At best, these people will
       | not be compensated for their greater amount of labor, at worst
       | they will leave the employees with families feeling like they are
       | taking advantage.
        
       | JMTQp8lwXL wrote:
       | If the intent is to make sure to pay "enough to not fret when
       | your kids toss the organic raspberries into the shopping cart",
       | shouldn't a salary floor alone be sufficient in achieving the
       | goal? Why a pay ceiling too?
        
       | __jem wrote:
       | This is so cool and so important. We shouldn't be ashamed about
       | talking about compensation, ever!
        
       | darth_avocado wrote:
       | Isn't this like, socialism? Everyone gets paid the same
       | regardless of what they bring to the table? Like union jobs.
        
         | xvedejas wrote:
         | It sounds more like values of tribalism to me. They're
         | benefiting the in-group (employees of their company) but
         | they're still existing in a society where not everyone gets
         | paid the same as them. And unless they're a perfect reflection
         | of society (is this possible?) then they're still perpetuating
         | whichever inequalities they tend to hire for.
        
         | dan-robertson wrote:
         | I don't think that's an accurate description of socialism.
        
         | steveklabnik wrote:
         | While "everyone gets paid the same" is a thing that some people
         | say about socialism and/or union jobs, and while socialists
         | _are_ often concerned with the effects of pay disparity, it is
         | not really a foundational characteristic of any form of
         | socialism I can think of, no.
         | 
         | I think successfully arguing that any venture-capital backed
         | enterprise is socialist is difficult, to be honest.
        
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