According to a study by Indeed on perceptions of Canadian women in the workplace, salary negotiations are still taboo for nearly half of women. But eight times out of ten, the one who dares wins.
Alexandra Garon is among those who had the gall to demand a salary adjustment because she felt her job performance and experience warranted it.
“It wasn’t stressful for me to ask for a salary that matched my skills,” says the 29-year-old.
At first, her request was not fully accepted. So far she has never planned to leave her employer because she appreciates him. But, wanting to measure her true worth in the marketplace, she applied for a different position in a different organization.
Given what she was offered, she continued the conversation with her employer and within 24 hours he gave her the raise she wanted.
“I am fortunate to work at a company that listens. My sense of belonging is strong, I feel recognized for what I do and I’m happy now,” she says.
Go somewhere else if you have to
Corinne Tremblay*, 30, was approached by a headhunter and offered her a job earning $15,000 more a year. It was at this point that she realized she was being underpaid by her employer. The latter did not even want to offer him two thirds of this sum; she therefore decided on the new position.
“Don’t be afraid to ask. The worst that can happen is a rejection and then you can always change jobs,” says the one who is developing in the insurance industry.
The labor shortage… it helps!
Pay equity is a dream that two-thirds of Canadian women believe will last 50 years, but labor shortages could spur progress.
“With the unemployment rate at 3.9%, the ball is in the hands of job seekers and it’s a good time to start the conversation and move forward,” said Stepan Arman, spokesman for Indeed.
According to research, three out of four women would like transparency in pay, promotions and bonuses, which would contribute to fairness.
“The barriers to transparency are that employers want flexibility to be able to negotiate based on experience, but by stating a salary range in job postings this gives flexibility,” says Mr Arman.
Of job postings published by Indeed in Quebec, 68% included compensation information in 2022, a 7% increase compared to 2021.
“Anyone who does not feel fully recognized at their fair value must apply for an adjustment,” concludes Joanie Lemieux, who received the requested top-up in the banking sector earlier this year.
* Fictitious name, she prefers to remain anonymous
Pay equity, a law of female solidarity
Photo provided by Louise Harel
Louise Harel
Promoter of the Equal Pay Act
If young women today dare to demand their fair value, it is also thanks to the advances of previous generations. In Quebec, the Pay Equity Act, a legacy of former PQ Minister Louise Harel, turns 27 next summer and it needed the full solidarity of elected women to pass it in the National Assembly.
“All women, regardless of their affiliation, have rallied behind Louise Harel. We were in the minority, but we decided that this law would go through. And when women stand together, not much stops them! recalls Liza Frulla, then Liberal MP, who still sees this moment as the most beautiful movement of solidarity between elected officials.
strong resistance
Opposition voices were numerous in business circles, including among fellow ministers linked to the sector.
“The Conseil du patronat du Québec and many other stakeholders said it would cost way too much,” says the woman who now heads the Institut de Tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec.
The law was gradually applied to give time to analyze the duties and responsibilities of the different positions and to find fair wages in occupations traditionally occupied by women.
“Women, we’re still often in the position of proving what we’re worth, while men immediately say, ‘Here’s what I’m worth,'” observes Ms. Frulla.
The Pay Equity Act has established guidelines to help women be recognized at fair value.
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