6 Steps Toward Promotion and Equal Pay

It’s about getting women, especially women of color, in the room AND getting equal pay.

The metaphor that keeps us on the ground.

There are so many riddles and proverbs that use glass as a metaphor. 

He who lives in a glass house should be last to throw stones. Be wary of looking at things through rose-colored glasses. The same hammer that breaks the glass forges the steel. 

But in the business world, we’ve heard one glass metaphor more than any other– the glass ceiling. 

According to Merriam-Webster, the current definition of the “glass ceiling” is “an intangible barrier within a hierarchy that prevents women or minorities from obtaining upper-level positions.” 

The metaphor has its roots in French, where it sounded a lot prettier. In 1839, feminist and playwright George Sand wrote, in a monologue about a woman trying to ascend beyond her traditional role, that she was trapped by une voûte de cristal impénétrable, or “the impenetrable crystal vault.”

A century later, in 1978, the term “glass ceiling” was officially coined by diversity advocate Marilyn Loden in a panel discussion on women’s aspirations. She explains that the term illustrates how the lack of women in executive roles is not a personal problem, but a cultural one– a widespread barrier over an entire working population.

And while the term has passed from movement to movement, decade to decade, it’s held up the same idea– that there is something both invisible and extremely present that keeps certain people from ascending. 

But it’s not just a single barrier keeping women (especially WOC) from the top.

In January of 2019, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives put out a groundbreaking report called “The Double-Pane Glass Ceiling.” 

This report thoroughly analyzes the dismal gender pay gap and underrepresentation of women and women of color at the executive level. 

Their findings show that the metaphor of the single glass ceiling is not exactly accurate– that the hierarchy in place has multiple barriers to entry, especially for women of color. 

The report concludes by claiming that “women face a double-pane glass ceiling in corporate Canada: first, the challenge of getting into the C-suite, and then being paid substantially less once they get there.”

Though this report was completed in Canada, the same rings true for the US and other countries. 

While we often think of the workplace as a meritocracy, that simply isn’t true. A true meritocracy would have no gender, orientation, ability, class, or racial bias, no extra barriers that those with underrepresented identities have to fight to overcome. 

The truth is that the gender pay gap and the racial pay gap exist, and that points to a culture-wide glass ceiling. The other truth is that there are very few women and women of color in C-suite and executive levels, and that points to another culture-wide glass ceiling. 

It has nothing to do with merit. 

So how do we make our way to the top with so many barriers in the way?

It’s time for some critical assessment. Are you in a workplace that actively tries to break down these barriers? 

In the realm of structural inequality and inequity, we know personal responsibility is never the sole solution. And yet, at our desks and in our boardrooms, we find ourselves still looking up beneath the glass, wondering what we can do to try and break through. 

Before taking things into your own hands, the first step to breaking the double-pane glass ceiling is to assess the culture around you. The unfortunate reality is that some corporations, large or small, are not amenable to, or able to implement, structural change– even if that change would be in the company’s best interest.

In 2004, Catalyst put out a report evaluating 533 companies, assessing the relationship between gender diversity and company-wide performance. 

The findings revealed a relationship between gender diversity in higher-up management and increased financial performance. 

Of the 533 companies, those with the highest representation of women in top leadership positions significantly outperformed those with the lowest representation. The return on equity (ROE) was 35 percent higher, and the total returns to shareholders (TRS) was 34 percent higher.

Think about it– 46.6% of the workforce is made up of women of all backgrounds. Of that, the percentage of women of color in the workforce is growing each year. The demographic of the United States is changing, too– according to TIME magazine, by 2044, the majority of the United States will be non-white. 

This means that the era of the boy’s club is over. There is simply no consumer base or shareholder that benefits from it. 

This also means that DEAI initiatives are not trendy, or another surface-level obligation. They are as necessary as having computer skills in a world of ever-changing technology. 

If you feel held back by a company that is as behind as a company that refuses to use computers, then count yourself lucky, because you will not be there when it falls behind.

Ask yourself:

• Does your workplace emphasize accountability?
• Is it an inclusive space?
• Are there DEAI programs that are comprehensive, specific to the organization, and backed by the CEO and leadership teams?
• Are there DEAI programs and initiatives in place at all?
• Are there work-life policies in place that support underrepresented employees? 

If you can say yes to many of these questions, and your company is consistent and thorough in their commitment to access and equity, then it will be a lot easier to break through those barriers. 

As a self-advocate, here are some ways that you can work within the system, break through the glass ceilings one at a time, and build an impenetrable case for promotion. 

Six steps toward rocketing through that double-pane glass ceiling.

1. Think ahead.

Familiarize yourself with all federal laws and workplace policies that offer protections against discrimination. 

For example, if you know you will be taking family or maternity leave, look into what protections are offered to employees when it comes to pay and promotion opportunities. If you have a disability, keep yourself educated on what your rights are, and what counts as workplace discrimination. Knowing your rights is an essential piece of self-advocacy.

Then, think ahead to when you hope to receive that promotion and raise, and start to plan backwards. 

Make sure you make it very clear to your supervisor that you are a serious contender for a better title and better pay. 

Don’t be afraid to talk salary with your colleagues, and with those within your network. Think about childcare costs, cost of living, inflation, and how all of those things factor into your salary needs. 

Ask for specific feedback from your direct reports, and ask for support via career pathing and professional development opportunities. If you can gather what would be required of you to be considered for a raise or promotion, then you can work proactively to exceed those expectations. 

2. Promote yourself.

The best way to chip away at the double-pane glass ceiling is to be a self-advocate, and the next is to be one step ahead. 

Take it into your own hands, and start acting above your role. 

Demonstrate your skills and leadership abilities proactively, and keep track of the outcomes of your projects. Make yourself not only valuable, but indispensable. 

Making yourself indispensable involves adding distinct flair to your work. What skills and unique qualities make your work unlike anyone else’s? If you left this role today for another one, what would your company lose that they couldn’t gain from somebody else? 

It’s important to have confidence in yourself as a human first, but also to have confidence in your market value. If you know you have a unique blend of skills and assets going for you, then highlight those things through your work, proactively and consistently. 

Now, this does not mean taking on too much work, staying late, and doing other peoples’ jobs. It just means thinking outside the box with the work you do have. Be indispensable, and you will have a lot more to leverage when it comes time for the promotion and pay conversation. 

3. Know the power of the network.

No matter how talented and deserving you are, you cannot do it alone. There is much more power in a community than in just one person. 

First, look around your workplace community. 

Does your workplace offer employee resource groups (ERG’s) for underrepresented groups? Are there professional development opportunities that your workplace would be willing to pay for? Are there women and women of color in higher-up positions that you could connect with, and ask to sponsor you? Are there allies who would advocate for you and make your voice heard?

Having higher-up advocates and sponsors within your company is a great way to make yourself heard. Even if you don’t have a spot at the table, someone at that table could vouch for you and speak on your behalf. Look for strong allies, mentors, and groups within your workplace, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are in a position to help other underrepresented people make their way up, then make sure you make yourself available to them.

As for your external network, find mentors who can help you navigate your career from an unbiased perspective. Attend networking functions and join groups and organizations that provide support to underrepresented groups. Read books written by colleagues. Attend seminars and workshops given by those you admire. 

You never know who will be your next biggest fan. And you never know how much that might help you in the future.

4. Document everything.

A great way to advocate for yourself is to keep a written record of everything. It might seem excessive now, but when it comes time to talk about a promotion or pay raise, you will have a portfolio of hard data showing why you should receive one. 

Track your successes, outcomes, and the ways your work has benefited the company. Track your growth, and how certain skills have developed over time. Track your research and conversations with others about salary, your rights as an employee, and your observations on gender parity in your workplace. 

Maybe you don’t get the promotion or raise– but you still have documents showing observable, measurable, and repeatable outcomes that you’ve accomplished in your position. This kind of data is invaluable when you are updating resumes and making your way through those pesky job interviews.

5. You always have something to leverage when you negotiate. 

When you’re just starting out, it can be difficult to think about what you have to offer when you are looking ahead to that promotion and pay raise. 

It can also be daunting when you are underrepresented in the workplace. 

But no matter what level you are at, you always have something you can use to your advantage when you look toward a promotion and raise. 

If you’re brand new, then you can focus on leveraging experiences. Try to learn as much as you can from your entry-level position, and keep a running log of the skills and experiences you’ve gained along the way. When you get to that fork in the road of moving upward in your company or starting a new position, you have a wealth of experience to leverage in the crucial negotiation stage. 

If you’ve been around the block awhile, you can negotiate things such as benefits, stock options, pay, sabbatical, title, and more. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need– look at what would provide the most supportive work-life environment for you.

6. Diversify your opportunities. 

No matter how great you are, sometimes a company is not set up to help you succeed. There are many things you can do to try and make a change in your workplace, but don’t be afraid to look elsewhere if you feel like you aren’t being valued as highly as you should be. 

Sometimes having another offer on the table is a great way to make your way up in your own company. It puts pressure on your supervisors to consider your terms for staying. Other times, having another offer means a better opportunity is waiting for you somewhere else. If another company offers higher pay, a better title, and a more robust DEAI effort to get underrepresented employees in the boardroom (AND provide them equal pay), then maybe that is something to consider. 

It’s never a bad thing to have some other opportunities and offers up your sleeve, especially as an underrepresented employee. 

Always keep an eye out, and remember that the double-pane glass ceiling is ever-present in the corporate world, but some companies might offer better tools for breaking through than others