Captivate: How to Advocate for Women and Bridge the Gender Gap

Much has changed since the 1960s. Sixty years of progress have introduced the powerhouse vocals of Adele, a smart home that auto-magically brightens our rooms, and an entire generation that doesn't understand what it means to wait a week for more programming. Amid all this advancement, there remains one hold-out: the gender pay gap.

While the Equal Pay Act was signed into law in 1963, earnings inequality remains a reality for women in business. According to Captivate's latest Office Pulse research, over 40% of working women feel that they aren't being fairly compensated for the work they do. Indeed, the Pew Research Center found that women earn just 84% of what men make, meaning it would take an extra 42 days of work for women to make the same amount as men.

Despite this, Office Pulse found that 40% of women said they have never asked for either a raise or a promotion. While the projected year for reaching equal pay has remained at 2059 for the past four years, there's no need to wait another 37 years. Let's turn that tide.

As Lucy Markowitz, Senior Vice President, at Vistar Media, says: "No one is going to look out for you more than you." One way of doing that is by visiting The Salary Project. It encourages women to advocate for themselves with the help of a searchable, sortable chart of salaries of women across industries, locations and age. It offers inspiration, stories and data to empower women to demand pay parity.

Another way of leveling the playing field relates to communication and how well ideas are received. Office Pulse found that 30% of women feel their ideas aren't valued in the workplace. Make a point to check in with yourself: Are there ways you can better communicate your authentic self, or should you move on from your current environment?

"Use your voice: respectfully challenge processes and people to drive change," advises Lauren Surzyn, COO, Kirkoswald Asset Management.

The benefits of gender equality in the workplace aren't just personal. While pay parity and advancement would obviously benefit working women, companies stand to gain from it as well. Forbes reported that women outperform men on 17 out of 19 key leadership traits, resulting in gains for the bottom line. Harvard Business Review research found that firms with more women in senior positions are more profitable.

There are two key ways for companies to support and advocate for women in the workforce: break down barriers and be an ally for equality.

The global management consulting firm A. T. Kearney is among those that have broken down some barriers, not only solving its own workforce problem, but helping employees as well. Realizing it was losing women to maternity leave, the company established Pathway for Parents, giving new parents one year to ramp up.

Becoming an ally for equality can take different forms. Companies should consider aligning with legislation like the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would prohibit retaliation against employees who discuss their wages and make it easier to demonstrate that discrimination has occurred. Another option is to support organizations that are dedicated to tackling the pay gap, including the Venus Williams-supported Girls, Inc.

Captivate is pushing change by launching a custom content series of videos on its out-of-home displays that shines a light on the contributions of women and areas of inequality and gives women a platform to share advice on navigating the path to professional success. Like the quotes featured throughout this article? You can catch them across our network for the month of March.

The Captivate series also reflects on female pioneers, highlighting women-owned businesses. And it empowers viewers to nominate mentors, leaders and changemakers who have inspired them throughout their careers.

By 2028, Nielsen projects that women will command 75% of the discretionary spend. Yet this increasingly more powerful demographic -- women in business -- is losing a combined total of nearly $930 billion every year due to the wage gap.

As former Secretary of Labor Lewis Schwellenbach famously argued back in 1947 when speaking of women: "There is no sex difference in the food she buys or the rent she pays, there should be none in her pay envelope."

This article was written by Alice Gogh, Senior Vice President Strategy, Innovation and Product, Captivate LLC.

Click the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friends.
The opinions expressed here are the author's views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillage.com/MyersBizNet.