If not now, then when?

This is a question that keeps echoing when we confront one of the most stubborn workplace inequalities: the gender pay gap. Even though we have studied about it, heard promises and celebrated progress, the hard truth is that in 2024 women in the United States still earn, on average, just 82 cents for every dollar earned by men (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024). For women of color, the gap is even wider—Black women earn 69 cents and Latinas 57 cents for every dollar a white, non-Hispanic man earns (National Women's Law Center, 2024).

Image Credit: Nick Efford from Wikimedia Commons

Money Talks—But Why’s It Whispering to Women?

Many believe the old myth; women earn less because they work fewer hours, or choose low paying jobs. But that's not the whole picture.

Women Are Steered Toward Fields That Pay Less: Occupational Segregation

Women are often pushed towards careers that are “undervalued” or underpaid, mostly because of societal norms, educational gaps or stereotypes. Occupations like nursing, teaching and caregiving are for sure extremely important, but not very well compensated. Meanwhile, men are urged to take up higher-paying jobs like tech, finance or engineering.

For example, nurses (83% female) earn an average salary of $81,010, whereas software developers (75% male) earn an average of $132,930 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022).

The Motherhood Penalty: An Unfair Price To Pay

Becoming a mom can cost women dearly in raises, promotions, and opportunities. Meanwhile, men often gain career perks after becoming fathers. The reason why this happens is moms are considered as a liability but dads are considered as assets.

When women become mothers, employers consciously or unconsciously feel they would be less committed, more distracted and less available towards their job. On the other hand, dads are seen as more stable, and responsible and as someone who deserves a higher pay to support their family.

According to Payscale, working mothers earn just 75 cents compared to working fathers; even with a similar job and qualifications, they take home 2 cents less. Also, fathers tend to earn 15% more than men without children; if they have the same job and qualifications, the father still sees 2% more.

Women hesitate to negotiate, and it costs them.

Research shows that women are less likely to negotiate salary. Not because they lack skills, but because they fear backlash. Be assertive, and you’re seen as “difficult.” Be agreeable, and you’re considered undervalued. This feedback is less seen being received by men.

Discrimination still happens, even when we don’t see it.

It's not always obvious, but biases creep into hiring, promotion, and salary decisions. Discrimination in the workplace isn't about outright sexism, it's more about biases that influence employers' decisions without them realizing it most of the time.

1. Women are often seen as less competent in leadership roles, maybe because it is assumed they won't be able to be as dedicated due to their potential family responsibilities.
2. Even when women do the same job with equal or better qualifications, they’re often offered lower starting salaries than men.
3. Findings suggest that women receive more vague feedback focused on personality and not on skills. But men receive more action-based feedback that also focuses on leadership potential.
4. It is also seen that women are on average 30 percent less likely to be called for a job interview than men with the same characteristics. (Source: Phys.org, 2019)

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Closing the Gap—Where Do We Start?

We all know the problem now. Here's what can be done about it:

• Pay Transparency

Companies need to be upfront about pay ranges and salary structures. Keeping it a secret only perpetuates inequality.

• End the salary history question

When employers make offers based on past pay, they bring old inequalities to new jobs. Prohibiting this practice allows women to escape the cycle of underpayment.

• Affordable childcare and paid family leave

If we want women to continue being leaders and/or excel at their careers, we must support them at home too. Paid leave and affordable childcare should not be optional; they should be required.

• Encourage negotiation

Women need negotiation skills, and that starts early on and should be encouraged in the workplace. They also must be protected against negative consequences when women do ask.

• Conduct pay audits and fix gaps

It's not enough to hope there's no pay gap. Regularly auditing payroll and fixing pay for all employees after identifying a gap needs to be done.

via Tenor

This isn't just a women's issue, it's an economic and societal one. If women get that 18 extra cents on the dollar, it would lead to more spending, more investing, and stronger communities. Plus, equal pay isn't just “nice”, it's smart business. Diverse and equitable workplaces perform better than their competitors.

Once you stop to think about it, the gender pay gap is not just some statistic, it's a quiet injustice that is impacting lives of people everyday. It's not just about the money, it's about what the missing money represents: overlooked potential, undervalued talent, and missed opportunities.

Change is possible. And some countries are leading the way.

Take, for example, Iceland.

As of 1st January 2018, Iceland passed new legalization to become the first country in the world where companies have to legally prove they are not paying differently due to gender. This means that all public employers with over 25 staff have to obtain government certification of their equal pay policies or they will face a fine. (Source: Women in Tech, 2018)

Similarly, organizations that prioritize pay transparency, commit to regular payroll audits, and encourage equitable practices in the workplace lead to healthier and more productive work environments.

The gender pay gap persists, but it doesn’t have to. And fixing it won't happen overnight and won't happen all at once, but step by step, through small shifts and bigger decisions, we'll get there in the end.

So, let me ask again: If not now, then when?