How to advocate for equal pay at your workplace
Wage discrimination is a consistent inequality in the workplace. Equal Pay Day is more than just an arbitrary date on the calendar. It reflects how many days a woman must work in a given year to catch up to men’s earnings from the previous year.
Women who work full time earn about 83 cents for every dollar a non-Hispanic, white man makes. The pay gap also persists across different ethnic groups—women of color experience even wider gaps.
So, how do we close the gap? Ensuring that women’s work is equally and fairly valued will take structural change and multifaceted solutions such as raising the minimum wage, supporting pay transparency, investing in affordable child care and education, and managers advocating for equal pay.
You may be wondering what you can do to advocate for equal pay as an individual experiencing or witnessing pay inequality at your workplace, or as a manager.
Advocating for equal pay as a woman employee
If you’re a woman feeling the effects of unequal pay at your workplace, you may be wondering how to advocate for yourself and for other women at work. This may leave you feeling undervalued, helpless, and may lead to burnout. We often see this through our text line.
An Empower Work user shared:
“I don't know for sure if I am experiencing unfairness at this point. I know I did a lousy job at my salary negotiation when I joined the company 2 years ago and accepted a salary about 20% below the market rate. I was in a rush to escape a toxic working environment so I took what I could get without much negotiation…I want to fix it…it is hard to convince myself that I am being valued by this organization.”
Later in the same conversation, an Empower Work peer counselor asked this user, “You mentioned wanting to be ‘valued’ by this organization. What does ‘valued’ look like for you?”
The Empower Work user responded, “[Being] paid equally compared to my white male co-workers.”
Unfortunately, sexism in the workplace is a structural issue that will require structural change. But, there are steps you can take to advocate for salary equity for yourself at work.
Know your worth. Always know what you should be getting paid. There are many online resources like Glassdoor that can help you decide what your salary should be based on your location, experience, skills, and industry.
Ask for a raise. Make a strong case for yourself as to why you should be paid more and remind your employer what value you bring to the company. Approach the conversation with a strategy, a number in mind, and a strong case to explain that number.
Share your story. If you’re comfortable and in a position where you can, share your experience with others. This helps other women feel less alone and it normalizes the conversation about equal pay at work instead of normalizing the inequality itself.
Advocating for equal pay as an onlooker
Maybe you’re not a woman employee, but you see the pay inequality at your workplace, clear as day. You want to know: What can I do to fight for equal pay at my workplace?
Influence wherever you can. Sometimes, you may find yourself in a position where you can use your privilege to push for more equitable pay. Advocate for regular compensation reviews, for those who are being underpaid, and internal equity on all fronts within your team.
Have the difficult conversations. The fight for equal pay doesn’t always look like direct advocacy, but also having open conversations with friends and coworkers that normalize the conversation around salary, benefits, and pay.
Get involved in the movement. Learn about the laws and what it takes to get involved in the movement for pay equality. Call up your representatives and share your concerns and demands. Practicing civic engagement in your local community can make big strides.
Advocating for equal pay as a manager.
Managers have power in how their employees are compensated. They are the link between their employees and their salaries. Managers have a lot of power when it comes to closing the gap at their workplace. If you’re a manager, you may be wondering what steps you can take to advocate for equal pay at your organization.
Be transparent about pay. Setting salary benchmarks and making this information public contributes to more pay transparency and normalizing the conversation around pay equality. Do your research before setting salaries by looking at the salary ranges at other companies based on similar positions to your company, your location, and the size of your company.
Conduct regular reviews with your team. Have quarterly or annual meetings with your team members to discuss performance and compensation. Ask employees if they feel that they are being compensated fairly for their skills, tasks, and performance.
Understand the pay gaps within your own team. Sometimes new managers inherit gender-based inequalities. Update yourself on how employees are being compensated, especially if there is more than one employee in the same role.
Stand up for your team and eliminate the gap. When you talk to HR, be your employees’ biggest advocate. Recognize your employees’ strengths and talk about any pay disparities that you want to repair. When you’re intentional about speaking up for your team, it shows that you’re the kind of leader who cares about their employees and is committed to the company’s larger goal of eliminating systemic inequities.
*Note: Empower Work provides non-legal support for workplace challenges. This information, while authoritative, is not legal advice or guaranteed for legality. Employment laws and regulations vary by state. We recommend consulting with state resources for specific interpretation and decisions. If you believe you were discriminated against in violation of the law, we recommend you seek legal advice.
