The one step many women aren’t taking when it comes to their pay

There’s one big step many women aren’t taking when it comes to getting more pay in the workplace.

Asking.

Advocates say women pay the price for not starting these salary conversations. According to 2015 figures from the American Association of University Women, a nonprofit advocacy group that focuses on equity issues, North Carolina women working full time were paid 86 percent ($36,113) of men’s median earnings, which is $42,039.

In the Charlotte region, that money gap was $32,701 for women, versus $36,400 for men, or 89.8 percent, according to AAUW figures that break down median pay by congressional district.

AAUW research shows that by the end of a working career, the disparity between what a man and woman earns could be sizeable, according to Tara Lynn Foster. She’s president of the Charlotte chapter of Ellevate Network, a global women’s professional networking organization.

Charlotte’s chapter, in partnership with the AAUW, is hosting a salary seminar for women on Jan. 31 called “Negotiate Like a Boss,” featuring discussions on the pay gap, role-playing exercises to boost negotiating skills, and research women can do to get to the right target salary.

Foster, formerly with the corporate banking world and now a leadership coach and consultant, is facilitating the workshop, to be held at Wake Forest University Charlotte Center.

“How much is my position worth?...How do I start that conversation?” Foster says. “What happens if I do my best to counter and it’s still no. What do I do then?”

“...This workshop is intended to give women the information that they need.”

Many women are reluctant to start the salary conversation. Foster cites AAUW statistics: Among millennials, 79 percent didn’t negotiate salary when landing their first job, and 66 percent say they don’t know how to ask for more. Among women as a whole, 55 percent are apprehensive about negotiating. But when it comes to talking about money, 46 percent of men say they always negotiate, versus 30 percent of women.

Those figures take Foster, 44, back to her own first salary discussion, at a data processing job she landed right out of college. Sitting down for her first job review, her female manager presented her salary increase, then asked Foster: “Is this OK?”

“And I said yes. And she said, ‘Are you sure this is OK?’”

Later, Foster realized that was a moment to step up and ask.

Other moments they’ll talk about: when a company budget is being put together, so they can build raise in, and when your annual goals are set - which also provides the chance to meet with your manager on a regular basis, to “remind your manager of what you’re accomplishing, and think about how you can weave in a conversation about the performance expectations you set” and how salary matches that.

Also, talks don’t have to end if bosses say no to money, Foster says.

She suggests practicing giving people choices, so if you don’t get the raise, perhaps you’ll get a parking spot, or tuition reimbursement for a class.

“Being aware of your choices and presenting those choices is a great skill to practice.”

This story was originally published January 19, 2017 at 7:07 PM with the headline "The one step many women aren’t taking when it comes to their pay."