I have discovered that unequal pay is the norm in business and that is BS.
I have worked with many talented and hard-working women and sometimes they have become friends. One of the things that shocked me was their salary and I shared my salary of course with them. If someone shares their salary with me I share mine with them. It is only fair. Always, women have had lower salaries than me for the same position even with lots more experience with the company, industry, or niche software.
It makes me mad. I explain to those women that they deserve more and that they should ask for it. Many women feel imposter syndrome just like men do. I have felt that often. However, the fact is if you are doing the work, you have earned the right to be paid for what you are worth. I have encouraged all of my coworkers to demand being listened to, and sometimes they have grown and changed and become more confident and asked for what they deserved. It makes me feel good that I can help people gain the ability to speak their needs.
All of my life I have worked with women who have been treated with less respect, not listened to, and had their experience and knowledge ignored. I can’t understand this kind of thinking. Companies say that they want only the best and the brightest. Well, many times those people already exist in the company! There are plenty of companies that just don’t want to listen to their people!
I have experienced this as well. I have worked in companies and my suggestions were not listened to. If someone else made the suggestion they were listened to. It is a frustrating experience, and I can certainly understand why women may not feel they want to speak up because if they do they will get ignored. Companies have faults. People don’t listen to others who they don’t respect, like or feel deserve being listened to. This happens to men and women, but I think by far more to women.
Being paid unequally because you aren’t listened to, respected, or understood only causes the person to find someplace they are appreciated. It’s so simple business, why don’t you understand? You lose your best workers by not listening.