Column: How can companies' management address gender pay inequality?
We've all heard about the discrepancy between women's work pay in comparison with men's. The Institute for Women's Policy Research in Washington, D.C., said in 2016, female full-time, year-round workers made 80.5 cents for every dollar earned by men – a gender wage gap of 20 percent. How can companies management address this inequality?
Offer adequate management training. Too often, managers are advancing due to their performance as an individual producer, though the roles have completely different skill sets, says Suzanne Lucas at TheBalance.com. “Most bad managers aren't bad people; they are just poorly trained,” writes Lucas. Get every manager trained and hold regular refresher courses … Great companies attract great people, male and female.” Managers need to know that you can't punish someone for taking Family Medical Leave Act time, for example, and that they can't treat employees differently based on gender.
Adjust your company's concept of effective leadership. There are still biases – even among women regarding themselves – around success and work. FastCompany.com's Sava Berhane cites a 2014 Gallup poll showing 26 percent of men and 39 percent of women still preferred a male boss if they were taking a new job. “Until we can break through those biases – among women as well as men … efforts are doomed,” she writes. “Instead, let's start rethinking what constitutes effective leadership.” Another way to do this? Embracing male leaders who don't have traditional masculine leadership traits.
Search for hidden bias. Michelle King of Forbes.com spoke with Mike Gamson, senior vice president of LinkedIn Global Solutions. Gamson says there are no quick fixes for gender bias. He suggests over-investing in some groups to diversify recruiting and hiring and level the playing field. “Make it a part of your company's DNA. Building a diverse team is important for not only cultivating your workforce, but also for your company's future growth.”
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