If you saw a payslip left open at someone's house, would you take a look?

[PreviouslyZeus]

Assuming you don't already know how much they earn.

No I haven't but I left mine out and wondered if some visitors to my home might have sneaked a peek.

No - not that I can’t be nosy at times but what someone earns isn’t interesting at all. I literally don’t know what I would do with that info.

Nah I'm not interested and it diesbt impact me anyway.

I wouldn't at all. I'm surprised by people saying it's human nature and talking about 'temptation'.

I wouldn't be interested! Am I weird?

No. How hard is it to have some boundaries that aren't just for show. Also I don't care.

I would look

An email went out in a former workplace (erroneously) detailing every person and their bonus for the year. There were approximately null employees who didn't open it - and they were the ones away from their desks at the time (not the virtuous). There were sackings and walkings out as a result of that email. Oh the info HR has.

No. Or at least not intentionally. If it's out in plain view I'll probably end up seeing the figures anyway though.

We are disorganised and often have post in random places. Do I need to worry about visitors reading our mail the moment I leave the room!

This spreadsheet was gold dust.

It literally had Name - Bonus amount

The bonuses ranged from 250k, down to zero. So you had the whole company up in arms for a few days.

I did once about 10 years ago. It was £13k/ month!!!

@AfterSchoolWorry

I wouldn't at all. I'm surprised by people saying it's human nature and talking about 'temptation'.

I wouldn't be interested! Am I weird?

You're not at all weird. I wouldn't look, I'd avoid looking if I had to, it really is not my business what anyone else earns. Regarding my own pay slips (when I had them), I wouldn't care but I'd think the person looking was seriously weird.

I would be really tempted, but I'd only sneak a glance if I felt sure they wouldn't notice (i.e. left the room), and if I didn't have to touch it. I'm really clueless about what people earn around me - for some jobs it can be quite a range, and nobody I know ever talks about it!

@turkeyhotpot it's so interesting how different circles of friends work because my friends and I jabber on about it pretty openly. I think maybe because we're all in similar fields so there's no much disparity and sometimes it can be like "oh well, if you moved to X place, they pay 5k more a similar role" sort of thing.

I don't know it just never really occurred to me that friends didn't chat openly about it.

I'd like to think wouldnt but the temptation would be huge. However, as others have said, I wouldn't touch it or move to look at it.
This thread has made me realise that, with most of my female friends, I have a fairly good idea as to what they earn. They are mostly working in the NHS, in the local Authority, in Universities or in schools, where salaries are transparent. Whereas most of my male friends work in the private sector and I wouldn't have a clue what they earn.

@EmmaGrundyForPM that's actually a really good point. Most of my friends are female and we're really open. My DH is not open about his salary with his friends come to think of it. This thread has really got me thinking about why that is.

@BoredHoolet

No way. I actually feel quite dirty at the thought.

I am not some morality queen, I would no more look than look down someone’s shirt or watch them at a urinal. It’s just too personal. Ick.

Same here.

However when I was at work most of knew, roughly, what each other was earning and we'd sometimes talk about salaries. That is normal enough I think. It would be voyeuristic to delve into other people's financial affairs.

I think what makes me feel so awful at the thought of snooping is my mother was so nosy and resentful. I never wanted to be like her and I respect the privacy of others.

No. Nor would I read their diary or look in their knicker drawer. It's an abuse of trust.

Yes, I probably would but having worked in a bank I knew lots of important financial details about lots of people I knew socially or through friends or relatives etc. Mentioning anything about them or even disclosing that they had an account with us would mean instant dissmissal for me.
So I would never tell anyone that I had seen it or knew how much they earned.

@WeLovePeaSoup

I did once about 10 years ago. It was £13k/ month!!!

wow!

had you guessed the person was earning so much?

I wouldn't look. I'm not interested in what my friends earn, and I think we all have similar incomes anyway.

When I was younger I was nosier though about stuff like that, diaries etc.

I would not move stuff to see it or go out of my way but if it was in front of me I would probably glance.

@MrsKypp yes I did. It was an accident really, it was on the bedside table open when I was dusting. But they are a lovely family.

I have and did, at my mates, well it was her DH payslip. On plain view on kitchen table, would never have unfolded.

A top tip I was given at work was learn to read upside down. It’s how I saw plans to relocate office space where I worked. It also meant I worked out that the space allocated Contravened health and safety

I learned how to read upside down and bloody fast when I worked in the city - or maybe it was a special skill I already had.

Handy when the CEOs secretary left a blank cardboard wallet file on my desk (I wasn’t there so popped it open to see what it was) - I flipped it open to see what it was (I assumed it was a job brief someone had left for me) just as I got a panicked phone call to say if I saw a purple paper wallet folder NOT TO OPEN IT and bring it to her immediately.

Too late mate.

Yes because I work in payroll & would automatically scan it to check it was correct & actually point out to them if I thought it was wrong

I'm always being sent payslips, P60's & P45's by people to check over them so know how much most of my friends/family earn anyway.

Unless you're in that situation you can't answer honestly. I've looked at one or two at work left lying around.