Why Women Are Paid & Promoted Less

Over the last few decades, women have steadily increased their presence in higher education and the workforce, often surpassing men in educational attainment. More women than ever hold advanced degrees, and they’re entering fields previously dominated by men, breaking down barriers and challenging long-standing norms. Yet, despite these strides, women still face significant hurdles when it comes to promotions and pay. While traditional factors like childbearing and implicit bias play a role, there are also key behavioural aspects that contribute to this gap.

Traditional Barriers: Childbearing and Pre-Existing Bias

For many women, family responsibilities—particularly childbearing—remain an obstacle in career progression. While companies are making strides in providing family leave and flexible work options, the reality is that career breaks can affect both salary trajectory and promotional opportunities. Additionally, pre-existing biases in many industries influence perceptions of women’s capabilities and commitment, subtly but persistently affecting their career advancement.

In many workplaces, deeply embedded stereotypes still shape hiring, performance evaluations, and promotion decisions. For instance, women are often perceived as less authoritative or less “career-driven” compared to their male counterparts, especially in male-dominated fields. This results in fewer chances for leadership roles, despite their qualifications and work ethic.

Behavioral Aspects Impacting Career Progression

While these traditional barriers are widely discussed, behavioural tendencies among women often contribute silently to the promotion gap. Here are several key areas:

1. Less Likely to Showcase Achievements
   Women are often less vocal about their accomplishments, tending to rely on hard work alone to earn recognition. This “silent achiever” mentality can lead to their achievements being overlooked.
   

2. Shouldering More Responsibilities Silently
   Many women take on extra tasks, whether at home or in the workplace, without expecting or asking for recognition. This quiet responsibility can make it easy for others to undervalue their contributions.
   

3. Undervaluing or Underselling Themselves
   Women often downplay their skills or are more likely to attribute their success to external factors, resulting in a lower perceived value. This self-perception gap directly impacts promotions and salary negotiations.
   

4. Less Likely to Ask for Promotions
   Studies show that women are less likely to ask for a promotion, even if they’re qualified. This hesitancy often comes from a desire to avoid being perceived as too assertive, which may stem from societal expectations around “acceptable” female behaviour.
   

5. Less Aggressive in Wage Negotiations
   Many women approach salary negotiations cautiously or not at all, fearing negative consequences. This results in lower starting salaries and slower income growth over time, compared to male counterparts who negotiate more confidently.
   

6. Tolerating Adverse Situations Longer
   Women may be more willing to “tough it out” in difficult work environments or toxic relationships at work. This patience, while commendable, can lead to stagnation instead of advancement.

Actionable Exercises to Overcome These Barriers

To address these behavioural challenges, you can take these deliberate steps to build visibility and advocate for yourself:

• Track and Celebrate Achievements
  Create a monthly log of accomplishments to bring up during performance reviews or casual check-ins with managers. This helps highlight contributions consistently and confidently.
  

• Practice Self-Promotion
  Women please learn to sell yourselves. Join networking groups or mentorship programs where self-promotion is encouraged. Practicing in safe environments can build confidence in sharing achievements without hesitation.
  

• Set Clear Goals and Seek Out Promotions
  Create a clear roadmap for career growth. Set concrete goals, communicate them to managers, and ask for support in achieving them. Be sure to regularly revisit these goals and consider promotions as part of a natural career progression.
  

• Role-Play Negotiations
  Practice salary and promotion conversations with mentors or peers to build negotiation skills. Follow the rules of debate: factually arm yourself, compute your value (in dollars & cents if you can), anticipate common rejections (e.g. we don't have the budget) & formulate a response to overcome this in practice. Remember, HR can request for higher budgets if they truly value your contributions and deem you invaluable.
  
  Seeing negotiation as a routine part of career management, rather than a confrontation, can help women approach these conversations more confidently.
  

• Know When to Leave
  Regularly assess whether your work environment is helping or hindering your growth. If a workplace isn’t meeting your career needs, consider exploring new opportunities that align with your goals. - I've left too many situations and have also been the victim of such situations. In these situations where nothing seems to prove that you are deserving of higher wages & roles, just leave. You'd be surprised that management can and will take the right actions to retain you.

By acknowledging both traditional and behavioural barriers, we can start to close the gap in promotion and pay. Women in today’s workforce are equipped with skills, knowledge, and experience to excel in leadership, and by empowering themselves with actionable strategies, they can create greater visibility and career success.