March 12 is Equal Pay Day. It’s a symbolic day that marks the current state of gender pay gap for women: 84 percent for full-time, year-round workers, and 78 percent for all workers.
Some might argue that the pay gap isn’t really a gap caused by pay discrimination, rather, it’s a reflection of the choice of occupation, where women choose lower paying professions; or a choice about work hours, where women opt for less.
But such arguments neglect the nuance behind the cultural norms that women play in the society. While there are more men taking an active role in their children’s upbringing, women still tend to the primary caregiver, not only for their children, but also for their parents and other family members. As such, women tend to take jobs that provide them with the flexibility to take on the dual roles — including jobs that can be done remotely and with a flexible schedule.
Meanwhile, there are other jobs that expect you to give it all your life and be able to respond at all hours; these are jobs (and promotions) that are typically taken up by those who can afford more unpredictable and demanding work schedules .... typically men.
With such a set up, it is no wonder that there are less women represented at higher levels of corporations, which drive part of the pay gap.
But is this truly a choice or a necessity?
I'd argue it's the latter.
Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet that will close the gap. Doing so will require household responsibilities to be shared more equally within the family. It will also require an affordable caregiving infrastructure that can be made available to all caregivers, so that more women can afford to take on the more demanding and well-paying job opportunities without having to make costly career trade-offs.
Organizations can also do their part by conducting pay equity reviews and audits to ensure fair compensation, hiring practices, and performance reviews, and by enabling a work environment that can attract and retain more diverse talent into higher-paying roles. Find ways to foster opportunities for learning and advancing, as well as returnship programs to bring experienced people back to work.
Changing culture and societal norms will take time, effort, and perseverance. At times, it feels like mission impossible. But if we don’t keep challenging the status quo, we will never get there, will we?