Minimum Salaries
Business

Monday Buzz: When It Comes to Salaries, How High Is Too High?

The debate continues after a Seattle company raises its minimum salary sky-high. Plus: John Oliver takes on so-called patent trolls.

Last week, Seattle-based credit-card-processing company Gravity Payments suddenly announced that it would raise its minimum salary to $70,000. That salary, far beyond the city’s already high $15 minimum wage, will be funded by trimming 75 to 80 percent of estimated profits, and by founder Dan Price’s adoption of that same paycheck.

So, did Price make the right call? Fast Company reporter Lydia Dishman asked several experts for their perspective. As you might expect, they were split on the issue.

“Although money is not the only motivator, it is still a motivator, and at the end of the day eliminating the wage gap in this example would reduce motivation,” Casemore and Co. founder Shawn Casemore told Dishman.

But organizational psychologist Karissa Thacker, Ph.D., points to the importance of Price’s “authentic” leadership in inspiring employees.

“Boldness like this never appears easy or feasible,” Thacker said. “But as the war for the best talent heats up, you will see more of this type of leadership.”

Video of the Day

The battle over so-called patent trolls has been a public policy priority for many associations, but last night, comedian John Oliver entered the ring with one of his signature deep dives.

Other Good Reads

Can a town run on social media? Over at the Lab for Social Machines blog, William Powers and Deb Roy look into the interesting case of the Spanish town Jun and its inventive use of social networks.

Hold off on booking a band and consider a “silent party.” That’s advice from association CEO and management consultant Tom Morrison in a new blog post.

If you have a compelling monthly giving campaign, consider entering the Network for Good’s Recurring Giving Challenge, which could net your organization a portion of the $20,000 prize pool.

(bobby aback/ThinkStock)

Morgan Little

By Morgan Little

Morgan Little is a contributor to Associations Now. MORE

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