Are you addressing bias in salaries and promotions?
What the research says and tactics to help
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What’s on our mind: Are you addressing bias in salaries and promotions?
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“You fight, you work, you sacrifice to get to this stage. You work as hard as anyone you know. And then you get to this stage, and you're told you're not the same as a boy. Almost as good, but not quite the same. Think how devastating and demoralizing that could be."
― Venus Williams
How do you know you’re succeeding in your career? Pay raises and promotions are essential benchmarks that help us understand if we’re on the right track. They are tangible indicators that recognise and reward hard work. But what if your career progression is being held up due to bias?
If you’re a woman, it may well be. HR Drive found that ‘despite overall progress for women in the corporate world, perception gaps still exist, indicating a disconnect in cultural communications.’ McKinsey and LeanIn's 'Women in the Workplace' report also shows us how this is an intersectional issue, impacting different groups of women in different ways, with women of colour often bearing even more bias e.g. in facing "the broken rung" and not advancing in their careers.
A recent poll found that the majority of women have ‘never attempted to negotiate a pay rise, and that men were 23 percent more likely to negotiate a rise at all stages of their careers.’ (People Management).
To make matters worse, a lot of men aren’t aware of the problem. One survey found that ‘80% of men said men and women are promoted equally.’ Even more shockingly, ‘82% of men believe they are paid equally to women’ despite there being official reports regularly published by the Office for National Statistics.
Why does the gender pay gap still exist?
Sadly, the gender pay gap is a complicated thing that has longstanding roots in historical, social cultural, and economic factors. Some things that impact the difference in women’s pay and promotion opportunities are:
The “motherhood penalty”: When women become mothers, they are more likely to be overlooked for promotions because they are viewed as less committed to their jobs.
Industry differences: It’s reported that ‘the pay gap is largest in the financial and insurance industry,’ (HOC Library) which tend to be more male-dominating sectors.
Underrepresentation in senior leadership roles: It’s no secret that women have limited access to leadership roles (though this is decreasing), which stereotypically come with a higher paycheck.
Direct discrimination: Relocate Magazine says that ‘unfortunately, in some instances, women are paid less than men for doing the exact same job, reflecting direct gender discrimination.’
What can you do as a leader to help close the gap?
Review your current policies: Review your existing processes. Where are the discrepancies? Are you unintentionally giving more opportunities to men?
Transparency is key: A responsible leader should be completely transparent when it comes to pay and promotion policies. Make sure your employees know where they stand and what steps they need to take to reach the next level. You’ll be sure to increase your staff retention (and satisfaction) very quickly.
Lean on an expert: Remember, you can always hire an external expert to support you in reviewing your current policies, bringing in new guidelines for recruitment, and looking at diversity & inclusion training for you and the team.
Closing the gender gap is no small ask. But it’s incredibly important as an inclusive leader to address the issues facing your team and help be a part of the positive change. After all, this is half of the population we’re protecting here.
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