Recognize feminine value in salary policy, for gender equality and growth in the workplace. So the key question is: Is your pay policy feminine enough?

Purchase houses, a thorn in the side of many people my age. At my sighing question of whether I could ever afford a house to buy, my father said the legendary words, "You need to find a rich woman. I am not going to talk about buying houses; rich women, on the other hand, are a very interesting topic to me. 

Salary differences between gender - do women earn less than men in the Netherlands

Rich women ... in fact, there are not so many of these, at least, less than rich men. In fact, there is a wage gap between men and women. If you calculate this wage gap per hour, adjusted for part-time work, women's wages are on average 13 percent lower. Even with equivalent work, in which there has been a correction for education and position, among other things, there is still a gap. Women's salaries in the government are 4 percent lower and in the business sector it is 7 percent. This shows that women earn less from men in the Netherlands.

It is therefore a fact that a female couple has the lowest joint average income (male couple the highest and hetero couple is in between). Well, I'll pass for that! We will never achieve equality, men and women are not the same. Equality, on the other hand, is a nice goal. 

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Listen to the BNR Work Professor podcast 'The real story: why women earn less than men' here.

Equality and equality

Just for the record, equality and equality are two different things. What does this mean?

• Equality is identical: everyone gets the same at all times and always regardless of gender etc. This doesn't necessarily make it fairer, but it does make it equal. For example: €190 per month energy compensation for everyone. Outcome: some people need even more compensation to pay the bill and for others the entire compensation is unnecessary.
• Equivalence is not identical; it is about achieving the same outcome. This involves taking into account resources and opportunities, i.e. people's differences, so that the impact is equal. For example: giving a higher amount of energy compensation to those who cannot pay the charges and no compensation for those who can pay the bill even without compensation. Outcome: everyone can pay their energy costs.

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In order not to turn this into a gender discussion in which men and women are diametrically opposed, I want to focus it on masculine and feminine characteristics. In general, women show more feminine characteristics, while men show more masculine characteristics.

• Masculine characteristics: Logical reasoning, confident, ambitious, clear, assertive, goal-driven.
• Feminine characteristics: Intuitive, empathetic, caring, collaborative, listening, humble.

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We see that masculine characteristics are often taken as the basis for salaries and raise methodologies. This automatically associates more "value" with masculine characteristics (goal-driven, clear, confident). Which, you guessed it, causes these salaries to rise faster over time. Feminine characteristics are less measurable, but no less impactful as a result. Indeed, cultures with more feminine characteristics show higher engagement, more job satisfaction (among both women and men) and have lower turnover. There is also more room for a good work-life balance, which leads to lower absenteeism and fewer burnouts! 

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So the key question is: Is your pay policy feminine enough? We can close the current pay gap based on equality AND ensure structurally equal pay policies. 

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What does that look like and what can you as a founder do regarding salary and gender inequality in the workplace? 

Close current wage gap based on equality:

• Of course, let's start with the first step: do a check on the average salary of a man and a woman in your organization, note if there is a difference. If so, make a cross-section based on the weight of the roles. If so, is there still a difference? Make a plan and straighten out these salaries! 

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But let's face it, this is not the first time you've had this advice. So how do we avoid having the same conversation again in two years? Only when we address the wage gap on the basis of equality do we really make the structural difference. And that looks like this:

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Close wage gap structurally on the basis of equality:

• We are biased in the way we reward performance. What do we really reward when we give a salary increase? Do we, unconsciously or not, reward masculine characteristics more than feminine characteristics? For example, do you drive your organization on results, clear goals and individual targets? To incorporate more feminine characteristics, a concrete step is, for example, to include core values in the results. Another tip: if you hold a fleet review at the end of the year, put the pay gap and thus women's salaries separately on the agenda. Dwell on it exclusively during this session, because this is the time to close this gap. 
• As a founder, explore what it takes for your organization to grow, what characteristics are these? Value these characteristics! I am convinced that you too are looking for (more) cooperation, listening to each other and empathy. Then you will also have to value and reward this.
• Focus not only on whether goals were achieved, but also how! Is the team satisfied with how they worked together? Did teammates not grit their teeth while achieving this goal? Does the team trust each other and was there room for bottom-up decisions? Apply this in your reward policy.  

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My call: Don't ask women to get better at masculine characteristics, but value feminine characteristics. After all, it is precisely these characteristics that you need to grow sustainably as an organization. 

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Let's not put closing the wage gap entirely back on the group that suffers the most, or women. So men, we need you! Let's all apply the feminine characteristic working together and wash this pig once and for all. Acknowledge the existence of the wage gap and make the conscious choice to contribute, on a daily basis, to its elimination. Value the feminine traits and keep doing so, because only in this way can we structurally close the wage gap. 

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Then from now on all daughters can respond the same way I did: 'Dad, I'm going to become a rich woman myself.'

Want to know more about salary and gender? Feel free to contact us!

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