What we found
- Companies will hand you a title bump with a number below band, betting you won't quit.
- They'll then pay an external hire 15% more.
- Most people need the job more than the job needs them.
- The companies that pay fairly publish bands, run regular audits and have managers who don't ignore your contribution.
You ask for more money. They tell you there's no budget.
Then the company announces record profits later that month.
Companies will hand you a title bump with a number below band because they're betting you won't quit. Then they'll go and pay an external hire 15% more.
Ive never asked for a pay rise in 30 years so neither should you.
Threatening to leave doesn't work when you have a mortgage and a family.
It also doesn't help knowing that you've pigeon-holed yourself into a niche role.
Some people can push hard and absorb the risk of it going sideways. Most people need the job more than the job needs them, so then what do you do?
Your employer knows the band and you're often just guessing.
The companies that pay fairly are the ones that have published bands, regular audits and managers who don't try to ignore your contribution.
Until your employer decides to be transparent about it, it's all up to you.
This is why it's always important to know what the market is paying for your role elsewhere, and being willing to leave definitely helps.
Your company can no longer stop you from discussing your pay.
Our Anonymous Salary Survey is live and the more people who contribute, the harder it gets for anyone to be underpaid without knowing it.
Source: The Aussie Corporate community poll, data as at September 2026. Spotted an error? Correct something.
