Should Employees Be Paid? Why People Think It’s Time

In a recent salary-focused poll conducted by researchers at The University of Wisconsin–Madison, 75% of respondents indicated that, yes, they think employees should be paid.

 

While a majority of respondents were pro paying employees, the poll was still met with mixed reactions, with some individuals stating, “Yes, of course people should be paid for their work, why are you even asking this?” and a select few saying things like, “People should see work as a learning opportunity, and not be so greedy about things like ‘an income.’”

 

“I know this is a hot-button topic at the moment, but I think people should definitely make money for doing work,” said one respondent, Carrie D. “This opinion has gotten me flack from some members of my family, but I stand by it. People should definitely make a few dollars a day, at least. Not more than 15, though.”

 

However, others feel the concept of “getting compensated for your labor” is a dangerous gateway right that could lead to workers wanting other things like “paid time off” or “company sponsored health insurance” or “a place to live.”

 

“Socialists have taken it too far this time,” one respondent, Jeff B., wrote in. “Wage theft is the constitutional right of every billionaire CEO. Workers requesting a ‘living wage’ is a threat to the American way of life and super scary for those of us who may or may not make our money off the backs of exploited individuals. What’s next? Poor people being able to lead happy and fulfilling lives? I don’t think so.”

 

Researchers were unable to confirm whether or not this respondent was, in fact, Jeff Bezos, but Dr. Marianna Fuentes, the Lead Researcher on the study, gave her personal opinion, stating, “Yeah, it was 100% him.”

 

 

The study garnered some criticism for not offering ample solutions to solve the budding “should people have money or no?” question in America, with Fuentes apologizing for the lack of useful data this poll produced. She claimed her team would’ve been able to make it more informative had they actually been paid for their time and effort and not simply offered “university credit.”

 

“I graduated college 20 years ago,” Fuentes added. “I don’t need college credit, especially not credit that goes toward ‘Introduction to Beekeeping’ which is, for some reason, all they’re offering us. I’m in so much debt.”