Is it ever OK to ask your colleagues what they earn in France?

A growing number of workers in France are happy to share details of how much they earn, according to recent studies.

The French have a very old joke which goes along the line that you should never ask an American how much they earn – they will always tell you.

It never fails to have the audience in stitches of laughter – not least because asking someone in France how much they earn used to be so taboo.

However, a 2024 study by the recruitment advice agency HelloWork found that attitudes might have changed as a result of the pandemic lockdowns.

In 2019, it found that just 17% of French workers were happy to talk about their salaries at work, while in 2024 this had shot up to 54%.

However, sociologist Dr Janine Mossuz-Lavau, author of L’Argent et Nous, said that although attitudes might be shifting, talking about how much you earn, even to colleagues, can still be a sensitive subject.

“Before I did my book about money and the French, I wrote one exploring sexuality and the French,” she told The Connexion.

“Some people were incredibly open with me, admitting things that were very surprising. And so for the money book I thought I would start by contacting one of two of these same people to see if they would talk about salaries – and they all refused!

“It was a clear indication how deep the taboo about money runs in France.”

She said the main reason is probably because, until recently, France was largely a population of peasant farmers who did not trust banks and were often rejected, in turn, by those banks.

“This meant you had to keep money in the home, in the village, and you did not talk about it for fear of arousing jealousy and being targeted by robbers,” said Dr Mossuz-Lavau.

“There is also the fact that France is a Roman Catholic country with Catholic values imposed on people from a young age, including attitudes to money.

“Catholic teaching says that when you have money you should use it to help the poor – which people get around by simply not talking about their income, sometimes even when they are living as a couple.

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“And there is also the influence of the far-Left – some people feel deep down that having personal wealth is contrary to a fair society.”

Dr Mossuz-Lavau is doubtful whether the surveys showing people are more at ease talking about money at work show a genuine shift in attitudes.

“I suspect they were mainly asking young people and when you start your first job nearly everyone wants to be paid more,” she said.

“After a few years of work, when you realise things are not so simple, I think these young French people will revert to the old way of thinking about money.”

One other factor in French firms which might add to the hesitancy around talking about money is the widespread use of primes (bonuses) for employees.

This means that while nearly everyone has the same basic salary, sometimes negotiated nationally, some also get bonuses for various reasons.

The primes do not count towards benefits such as pensions, but can lead to differences in wages between people doing the same job.

The taboo about talking about money is likely to be tested in 2026 when, according to an EU directive, all firms employing more than 250 people must practice “total transparency” regarding wages. 

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