It’s Pay Equity Week in America. You might think there is nothing new to add to this discussion, but the effects of The Great Resignation have reshuffled the decks in favor of women (and moms, and caregivers) and now we are in a unique position to close the wage gap.
Here are three reasons why:
Pay transparency: For years, people have kept their salaries a secret. Some are held to “pay secret” policies, some feel talking about money isn’t polite, and many don’t understand the power of salary transparency in workplace dynamics. Victoria Walker eschewed these cautions in her recent Tweet heard round the world. Here were her parting words regarding salary at The Points Guy:
On a recent episode of As We Work, Jake Rosenfeld, labor researcher and author of You’re Paid What You’re Worth (And Other Myths of the Modern Economy), debunks the idea that salaries have ever been about performance (waaaay too subjective) and shatters many long-held myths about salary determinants in general.
Work-from-home revolution: At first, women hated being relegated to their kitchen tables, left to juggle their careers and child care, but as their kids returned to school, many women saw the upside in being able to create a more natural work/life balance. They did not miss the commute or office chatter as compared to the ability to prep dinner while listening in on a call or do loads of laundry while on their lunch breaks. Now, with gas prices up, there is no real incentive for us to commute to a job. I cannot overstate how huge this is for women with families!
Employee market: While many people have found work, there are currently an average of 58,000 open positions on each of the major job sites. More than half of them offer remote or hybrid environments. Articles abound these days highlighting six-figure jobs for contract workers, and companies like Glassdoor—a place for employees to rate their current or former employers pay, practices, and overall culture—are chock full of reviews so you can look before you leap.
An increased practice of salary sharing, a built-in work life balance, and a remote job market that just won’t quit. Now is your time to rise and shine…and all from the comfort of your own home.
Good luck.
Helpful Links:
The MIT living wage calculator.
How Toxic Culture is Driving The Great Resignation.
As a gift, all paid subscribers will get a free Keynote deck that will teach you how to spruce up your resume for the current job market.