Survey: Tech Employees Less Comfortable Negotiating Salary in COVID-19 Era

Tech employees at more than a dozen of the nation’s largest tech companies are less likely to negotiate salary during the COVID-19 pandemic than during normal times, according to a survey released this week.

The survey, conducted by the professional network Blind, found tech employees were 13% less likely to negotiate salaries during the pandemic, with only 47% reporting they’d be comfortable discussing salary given current global conditions.

The study polled more than 4,000 employees at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Uber, LinkedIn, Booking.com, Cisco, Oracle, Apple, Expedia Group, VMware, Adobe, Salesforce, Intuit, Intel Corporation and Indeed.com.

The study found women working in tech were 10% less comfortable than men in addressing salary in current conditions, and comfortability discussing salaries varied significantly by company. In only three companies—Google, Facebook and Uber—were more than half of employees comfortable discussing salary during the pandemic. Conversely, only 25% of employees at Intel, 33% at Salesforce and Intuit and 36% at Adobe were comfortable addressing salary today.

“The pandemic has professionals feeling less inclined to negotiate their salaries. However, a pandemic does not change the value of your skill set that has earned you a desired compensation. Do your research and know your worth,” said Blind co-founder Kyum Kim.