Yesterday’s post sparked a crucial conversation about the gender pay gap, shedding light on the disparities women face in the workplace, particularly when it comes to administrative professionals.
In one striking example a woman shared that a few years ago, she was hired for an Office Manager role at £18,000, only to discover that her male predecessor had previously held the title of Director of Operations with a salary of £40,000. It puts it into perspective doesn’t it and showcases the stark contrast in job titles and salaries?
One critical reason for such disparities is that women are statistically less likely to negotiate their salaries compared to men. According to a study by the Carnegie Mellon University, men are four times more likely to negotiate their first salary than women. Another survey by Glassdoor found that 68% of women accepted the salary they were offered without negotiation, compared to 52% of men. This tendency not to negotiate can lead to significant long-term financial consequences, affecting not just immediate earnings but also future raises, retirement savings, and overall career growth.
Advocating for yourself and negotiating salaries is crucial to ensure you receive fair compensation for your work. By negotiating, you can help close the wage gap and ensure that your contributions are recognised and valued.
When when you negotiate and advocate for yourself, it sets a precedent for other women in the workplace, promoting a culture of equality and empowerment. This is particularly important within the administrative profession which appears to be a subset of ‘women’ in the workplace. I so often see assistants excluded from taking part in women’s initiatives. This needs to change.
We must prepare for these negotiations by documenting our achievements and understanding our market value. The Global
Skills Matrix from WA-Alliance is a great place to start. Research shows that preparation can boost confidence and improve negotiation outcomes considerably. Being informed about industry standards and having a clear understanding of one’s worth can empower women to ask for what they deserve.
Recruitment agencies can help enormously with this exercise by using the Global Skills Matrix modelling where possible when conducting salary surveys. This will ensure assistants can benchmark their roles and better understand their worth. (As we know, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data is woefully out of date (2018) and won’t be updated again until 2028).
Addressing pay disparities and advocating for fair compensation is not just a personal issue but also a much broader challenge for the administrative profession and for women in general.
Raising awareness and encouraging open discussions about salary negotiations can help drive systemic change, leading to more equitable workplaces for everyone.
