A few weeks ago, I watched from afar as the Workplace and Gender Equality Agency’s first tranche of pay gap data was released.
From my home in Los Angeles, it was fascinating to see Australian employers and employees grapple with an unfiltered reality where, for the first time, there was no place to hide from the fact that women continue to be paid substantially less than men across the majority of industries.
Successfully negotiating a pay rise often comes down to when and how a person asks.Credit: Dionne Gain
With an average gap of 21.7 per cent and women earning 78 cents to every dollar a man makes, over the course of the year the difference adds up to $26,393.
One of the most popular and prevailing myths as to why women are paid less than men is because we’re simply too polite to ask for pay rises. Apparently, we don’t want to sell ourselves, don’t like talking about money, don’t want to be seen advocating for ourselves and fear being rejected.
Though there’s some validity in the discomfort these discussions come with, the major flaw in this argument is that research paints a very different picture. Far from being an issue of meekness, research shows women are more likely to ask for a pay rise than their male colleagues. So if women are asking more but still being paid less, what gives?
Having spent the first four years of my career working in HR for an investment banking firm, I saw salary negotiations take place almost every day. Where women asked and successfully negotiated a pay rise often came down to how and when she asked.
For the most part, this meant choosing the right time and establishing the facts.
If you’re a strong performer and can present a compelling story about how your experience and skills are benefitting your employer, it’s fair to ask for a pay rise every 12 months. But if you’ve been working at the company for under six months, it’s too soon to be pushing for a pay rise or a promotion.
How to nail a pay rise request? For women, it’s the $26,393 question
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02.04.2024
A few weeks ago, I watched from afar as the Workplace and Gender Equality Agency’s first tranche of pay gap data was released.
From my home in Los Angeles, it was fascinating to see Australian employers and employees grapple with an unfiltered reality where, for the first time, there was no place to hide from the fact that women continue to be paid substantially less than men across the majority of industries.
Successfully negotiating a pay rise often comes down to when and........
© The Sydney Morning Herald
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