No matter how you slice it, women are paid less than men at work. Women make less doing the same work as men, but the careers women pursue also pay less than careers primarily employing men. Why is that? And why is it that benefits still fall short when it comes to the needs of women? For all the progress women have made over the years, we’re still not equal in the workplace. We still don’t have gender pay equality.
Pay inequality does not affect all women equally with women of different races statistically earning different percentages of white men’s pay – but never an equal amount. Clearly, it’s time to close the pay gap. But it’s about more than just wages: Organizations need to be more willing to work with employees on flexible scheduling and working from home. COVID-19 is about to prove that a lot of jobs can be done remotely, and, if companies take that lesson to heart, a lot of mothers (among many others) can benefit greatly.
Not only is there a pay gap – there’s an opportunity gap, too! We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling which causes women to be held back in their careers. (As always, intersectional identities exacerbate these issues.) It’s time to not only shatter the glass ceiling but raise the floor, as well. Most minimum wage workers are women which means raising the minimum wage to a livable wage is a women’s issue!
There are a lot of obstacles to tackle. How can we even the playing fields? Lynn, Amanda, and Rachel discuss the stats and how we can win equal salaries and benefits for women, see more women in leadership positions, and how we can help other women excel in their careers.
Check out our checklist for gender pay equality in the webinar below. Get them coins, ladies! And be sure to share your thoughts in the comments, too!
Petite2Queen is a virtual mentoring community for women who want more out of life and their careers. We are women who have been there, done that… and women who are in it with you. Our virtual mentoring series, podcasts, blogs, and more provide real-life learning, insights, and transferrable skills. Create your own amazing life!