IMO there is every incentive for employees to compare salaries (except at startups where total compensation is directly proportional to how much risk you took to get there). Everything below is about 1000+ or so employee well-established companies so salary ladders should long since have become consistent.
If you find out you're making more, question why your co-worker is making so much less. It could be you the next round.
If you find out you're making substantially less, you can try bringing it up with your boss, but your boss will likely channel that to HR and then HR will tell you why you aren't worth any more than your current salary (that's their purpose in this situation, don't fool yourself otherwise).
However, if you use this information as a sign that you should go interview to determine your market rate, and you get a better offer somewhere else, you can now use that as leverage against your current employer.
If they need you, they'll match the offer, and your compensation problems will go away for the next few years. At some companies, this is the easiest path to a raise despite the negative perception of "accepting the counter."
If they won't match the offer, then that's a great sign that it's time to leave.
IMO you should treat your job choices as an asset. If that asset starts lagging the market, you need to invest in another one.
If you find out you're making more, question why your co-worker is making so much less. It could be you the next round.
If you find out you're making substantially less, you can try bringing it up with your boss, but your boss will likely channel that to HR and then HR will tell you why you aren't worth any more than your current salary (that's their purpose in this situation, don't fool yourself otherwise).
However, if you use this information as a sign that you should go interview to determine your market rate, and you get a better offer somewhere else, you can now use that as leverage against your current employer.
If they need you, they'll match the offer, and your compensation problems will go away for the next few years. At some companies, this is the easiest path to a raise despite the negative perception of "accepting the counter."
If they won't match the offer, then that's a great sign that it's time to leave.
IMO you should treat your job choices as an asset. If that asset starts lagging the market, you need to invest in another one.