Gender Wage Gap

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Kamala Vibes Vintage Tee by Hiiwear.

After working in Corporate America

for more than a decade, I learned the reality of the gender pay gap. I experienced years of overlooked efforts and delivered results, while my male colleagues, mostly white male colleagues, were rewarded with recognition, title, and a comfortable salary!  Now, as the Vice President of Operations at Money Script Wealth Management, I have vowed to take a stand for gender pay equality and assure our company offers competitive wages to all employees regardless of gender or race. Our firm also empowers our female clients and supporters to know their worth!

Unfortunately, the gender pay gap is an authentic thing, even in today’s progressive society. Data from 2018 showed that women of all races earned an average of around 80 cents to each dollar a man in the same job role made. So if you’re a woman who works in a professional niche and has questioned your salary, you’re not alone and are entitled to be doing so. While it’s perfectly reasonable to question your pay, you should also be asking how you can ensure you’re being paid enough and what you can do if you aren’t. Here are our 5 top tips to make sure you’re being paid what you deserve.

Research

First, make sure you do your research. It’s important to know the average pay for someone with your expertise and skill set, both generally and in your work area. Don’t be afraid to talk to friends or colleagues either - you might think that it’s rude to ask somebody’s salary, but you’re entitled to be adequately rewarded for your skills and hard work. You should take advantage of all resources possible, and speaking to those around you is just one of many ways you can do so.

Evaluate your work ethic

Before you jump to any conclusions, consider whether your work ethic is what it could be and whether you’re working as hard and as efficiently as others in your field. Hard work reaps high rewards, so if you’re not putting 100% effort in, there may be a reason you’re not being paid as much as a colleague is, male or female. A pay gap might not always be a gender issue but rather a performance issue on your part. If you need to, speak to your employer to address this concern and see what you can do to meet their expectations.

Negotiate

Work smarter when negotiating for a pay rise and be assertive when doing so. You know what your work is worth, so you shouldn’t sidestep around acknowledging it and definitely shouldn’t back down or settle for less. Ensure you’ve thoroughly researched what you should be earning and bring this research into the meeting with you.

Possibly take legal action

If all else fails and you know you’re entitled to more pay than you might be getting, you may be able to take legal action against your employer. Before doing so, make sure you understand your rights and the terms of your contract. If you can prove you’re being discriminated against because of your gender, you may be eligible for financial compensation.

Rely on the other professional woman around you.

As much as it might feel like it sometimes, you are not alone in suffering from misogyny and prejudice. There are millions of other like-minded women such as yourself who are being undermined for the work they do. So talk to the women around you, the ones in your private life and the ones you work with. Find out if they’re also victims of the pay gap and what action they have or plan to take against it..