Equity at Work: “No Excuses,” Please

[Attachment] As a mother with a daughter entering the workforce, I wonder if, and hope that, she will receive career opportunities on par with what men in the same job will receive. I try to be optimistic, but the reality is that statistics on the inequitable income of women in the workplace are staggering. They also strike to the heart of an issue that is much deeper than pay. Still today, in many organizations around the world, women are not treated equitably when it comes to promotions, access to leadership positions, and, worst of all in my opinion, having their voices heard. Their ideas and perspectives are all too often not given equal standing with the views of men, adversely affecting their career progress. Don't get me wrong. There are companies that value people equally and serve as great role models for what can be. I'm fortunate to work for one!

According to a 2016 study from McKinsey & Co., more than 75% of CEOs list 'gender equality' as one of their top 10 business priorities, yet women are less likely to receive a promotion or be on a path toward leadership. U.S. companies promote men at 30% higher rates than women during their early career stages, and entry-level women are significantly more likely than men to have spent five or more years in the same role, the study states. Take the practice of 'skipping' giving women a merit increase when they are on maternity leave because they are 'not present at work, so why give them an increase?' This is more common in countries with extended maternity leave benefits, but in happens in the United States as well. That practice alone can result in women being paid 10% less than men over time if they have two or more children!

There are other unsettling facts to consider. For example, women attend college at higher rates than men, yet they earn less. Men working in financial services firms receive double the bonuses received by women in the same businesses. And women account for two-thirds of all national student debt, in part because pay-equity gaps make it more difficult for women to pay off their loans.

I could go on and on, but you get the picture. Gender inequity is systemic, and although getting better in some sectors, remains a serious socio-economic issue. What's truly disturbing is the message this sends to young women and girls-that no matter how hard they try, no matter how well they excel, they may never get their fair due in the workplace.

These thoughts were top of mind as I sat down to chat with Martin Paz, a respected HR leader in the healthcare field, about his daughter Dana, who is close to receiving her master's in mechanical engineering at Stanford University. It's a profession that requires topnotch mathematical skills and practical experience. It's also a career heavily populated by men.

Through a colleague, I was introduced to Martin, who grew up in South Texas in the 1970s and witnessed the corrosive effects of racial discrimination firsthand. He used the experience as a form of fuel in a relentless drive to better himself.

'I was constantly reminded in middle school and high school that I was different,' said Martin. 'I developed a very competitive attitude. To play and excel on the basketball team, I had to determine how to overcome a height disadvantage. I simply would not allow myself to make excuses. If you think you can't achieve something, you won't achieve it.'

Martin passed on his 'no excuses' mantra to his three children. 'If homework need to be done, or music practiced, we said 'go get it done-no excuses,'' he said.

As the kids got older, he and his wife encouraged and supported them to push past their comfort zones and take on more challenging levels of achievement-academically, artistically, and physically. 'Obviously, we loved them above all else, but we also had very clear expectations of their behavior and accountability,' he explained. Martin also shared a great story about when the family watched the Disney animated film Mulan. In the movie, Mulan's father, a leader in the Chinese military, becomes ill. Mulan, the young protagonist, wants to fulfill her father's obligations, but as a girl in the patriarchal regime, she is technically unqualified to serve. So, she impersonates a man.

The key word here is 'impersonates.' 'In saving China, Mulan does not use brute strength as a man might; rather, she deploys her cleverness,' said Martin. 'In our discussion of the film afterward, I emphasized this feature to my children.'

Martin, as many of you do, strongly encouraged his children to explore their interests. Dana was creative, intensely curious, and very hands-on. She loved to make and do things that required organization and following detailed directions, such as craft, sew, woodwork, bake, and play sports. 'Or do whatever her older brother Jordan was doing,' said Martin.

These skills extended to her aptitude in math. Martin was concerned that, in high school, teachers would not treat her math skills with the same attention they provided boys with the same skills. He instructed Dana to sit up front in class, ask questions, and express her opinions.

Ultimately, Dana caught the attention of a high-school physics teacher, Dr. Danielle Kayal, an industrial engineer and mentor, who recommended she consider a career in engineering. She took the advice, subsequently majoring in mechanical engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Last summer, she interned at SpaceX, one of the companies founded by Elon Musk. When Dana graduates from Stanford this year, she plans to land an engineering position at an advanced, cutting-edge tech company. 'My hope is that they look at her broad practical experience and technical bona fides, not her gender,' Martin added.

I hope so, too, and I'm optimistic. The world needs people like Dana who don't let the statistics on workplace inequities drag down her ambition. The world also needs companies that speak out on the issue of gender-based imbalances and then walk the walk, as does Ultimate. With close to half of our managers being women, it's something we take very seriously.

There is simply no excuse-work performance and pay should be judged on how well we leverage our skills to the benefit of the organization, irrespective of our gender.

I hope this is an issue we continue to think about and tackle as a society, not only today on Equal Pay Day, but every day moving forward, until we've ended the pay gap for good.