Gen X workers might squirm a bit if you start talking about your salary at the office—but for Gen Z, it’s not that big of a deal. A new survey from Kickresume found that younger employees are much more comfortable chatting about money.
Out of 1,850 employees surveyed worldwide, only about a third said people at their jobs openly discuss pay, and 37% said their workplaces actually have rules against it. But Gen Z isn’t shying away: nearly 40% said they talk about their salaries at work—almost twice as many as Gen X.
Even when it’s technically against the rules, Gen Zers still speak up. Around 18% admitted they’ve talked about pay even when their employer discouraged it. Why? They’re curious—32% said they genuinely want to know what their coworkers make, with younger women leading that trend.
Meanwhile, Gen Xers are more hesitant: 24% said they feel uncomfortable discussing pay, compared to just 15% of Gen Z.
That openness makes sense for a generation dealing with high costs and stagnant wages. Many Gen Z job seekers won’t even apply to positions that don’t include salary info. Luckily, new laws are changing that—since 2023, states like New York have required salary ranges in job postings, and at least six more states have joined in since.
Experts say this shift toward transparency is a good thing. “Salary transparency benefits everyone,” said Anna Papalia, a career coach and author of Interviewology, in an interview with Fortune. “The only reason a company wouldn’t want employees to talk about pay is if they have something to hide.”
Research backs her up. A 2025 study in the American Economic Journal found that four out of six papers on the topic show pay transparency helps narrow the gender wage gap. It’s not always because women’s pay rises—it’s often because transparency slows down unequal pay growth among men.
As Papalia put it, “Women and people of color have historically been paid less, and one of the best ways to fix that is by being open about pay.”