5th Annual State of Women in Revenue Report: The Paradox of Successful but Unequal

Women in Revenue conducts an annual report on the challenges facing women in business today. For 2023 we’ve identified improvements that employers can make to improve on a “successful but not equal” system.  

In our report, “Bridging the Salary Gap: The Paradox of Successful but Unequal,” three key themes emerged: (1) compensation challenges, (2) a demand for workplace flexibility, and (3) the need for mentorship. These challenges have led to dissatisfaction for many women. Nearly half of respondents in this year’s survey said they considered quitting their job in 2022, and 20 percent actually did. That translates into a big price tag for companies who now have to hire in a competitive job market. 

Pay Inequality

Compensation challenges among this group of successful women with seemingly well-paying careers shows a lack of progress. More than 25% said they made less than their male counterparts, and even more alarmingly, 52% said they had no idea! Pay transparency laws have been enacted across the country to address this issue, but they clearly have a long way to go.

Flexibility is Queen

Workplace flexibility was ranked the number one benefit by a landslide. More than 80 percent of women named working from home as the must-have perk in job offers, and it’s easy to see why. This is a group of high-functioning multitaskers who have emerged from a pandemic with a keen ability to thrive in a modern, flexible workplace. 

This group values this benefit most when considering a job offer or whether to stay at their current job. And the number is up 30 percent from previous years. The number two ranked benefit? Flexible work hours. 

Need for Mentorship

Along with the desire for a flexible workplace, women also cited the need for mentorship as a key challenge that can be exacerbated by the more virtual nature of work from home settings. Nearly 30 percent of women reported lack of training/coaching, lack of mentorship, and equal seat at the table as challenges in their organizations. 

Employers need to take these gaps seriously as they can be nearly insurmountable blockers in harassment situations. 

We love supporting our community with the same statistical and fact-based reasoning that makes us all successful sales and marketing leaders. Identifying the top career blockers and most valued workplace benefits is the type of knowledge that companies need to build strong, productive teams.  

Checkout the full report HERE!

WIR TV January 2022: Gaslighting

‘Gaslighting’ was the word of the year for 2022, according to Merriam-Webster. The term refers to the subtle psychological manipulation of an individual in an attempt to make that person feel confused or doubt themselves.

In work settings, gaslighting can be used to diminish an employee’s accomplishments by redirecting credit for their work or excluding them from important and relevant meetings and conversations.

One poll shows 58% of workers have experienced this type of gaslighting at work, which can easily drive stellar employees to quit their jobs. 

Watch our WIR TV episode, ‘How Gaslighting Is Hurting Women, Equity and Belonging At Work,’ to hear from Dr. Beth Kaplan, Belonging Researcher and Champion, and Claudia Gonzalez, Business Development & Digital Marketing Manager at CoinCloud, who dig into the harmful effects of this manipulation tactic on people and corporate cultures — particularly women and women of color.

Key points in this episode include:

  • How to identify gaslighting behaviors in the workplace
  • What to do when you are being gaslit 
  • Where to seek support outside of your organization

WATCH NOW!

The Power of Community

If there is one thing the COVID-19 pandemic showed the world, it’s that while solitude may be enjoyable — and sometimes even necessary — we still need to connect with others. And it’s about a lot more than simply having people to interact with. 

Having a good community means being around like-minded individuals who get you. A place where you can bring your genuine self to the table. No need to scale back for fear of being labeled as too much, or too loud, or too outspoken. The point is to feel free to be yourself. While this may sound a bit idealistic, once you find it, it’s pretty empowering. How so? Let’s count the ways. 

Benefits of Being Part of a Community 

There are several reasons why being a part of a community is beneficial. While individual needs may vary, there are some common denominators across the board:

  1. Sense of Belonging
    Feeling like you belong within a group of people is essential for good mental health. This is because having a support network can help you feel motivated when things are going well, and less alone when undergoing difficult times. As a result, you feel connected and are better able to manage stress. 
  1. Mentorship
    While some individuals may seem like they’re infinite sources of wisdom, the truth is that everything they’ve learned has been a product of their life experiences — including their relationships with others. These experiences make them invaluable resources for advice, constructive criticism, and sharing of knowledge; all of which is crucial to help them — and you — grow as individuals and as professionals. 
  1. Support
    There are many ways to support one another. This can be done through encouragement to pursue a goal, guidance as we go through new experiences, and maybe even financial — especially at a time of sudden layoffs. As much as we all strive to be  independent and self-sufficient, life comes with many surprises. Having a reliable support system is essential to navigate them successfully. For example, you could connect people on LinkedIn to help someone find a new job, or be part of a group that pitches in to assist a friend facing a hardship. Members of a community can also serve as each other’s allies, whether they hear of an opportunity, or to link arms in the quest for social justice. 
  1. Access to Resources
    One of the biggest benefits of having a community is that everyone is good at something. Let’s say you all work in tech. Someone may be well-versed on database management, while someone else’s strong suit may be network security. When people work together, all bases are covered, and everyone benefits. 
  1. Professional Growth
    Having a professional network also helps you extend your reach for your business, as you refer contacts and business to each other. And since these referrals are done by people who know you, the likelihood of prospects being a good fit is greater. At the end of the day, word of mouth is one of the most effective forms of marketing.

How To Find a Community That’s Right For You 

While all of these benefits sound ideal, you may be stumped as to how to find the right group of people. It seems simple to look for, say, people within your industry, but it’s imperative to dig deeper. What are non-negotiables for you? Some factors to consider include: 

  • Integrity
  • True authentic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
  • Experience with innovation 
  • Giving back to the community
  • Leadership
  • Accountability 

The next step is to narrow down your options by exploring your interests. Are you looking to forge a community around one of your hobbies? Find people with whom you can discuss work woes and accomplishments? If it’s the former, look for groups with common interests, such as running groups or book clubs. If it’s the latter, opt for networking events — whether it’s ones created to amplify women’s voices, offer mentorship, and/or foster diversity. 

At Women in Revenue, we recognize the value and power of community, and we proudly support women in revenue-generating roles. Read about what we offer, and browse through our resources and events. You may just have found the kinship you’ve been looking for.

WIR TV November 2022: Power Moms

Let’s face it: Burnout is real. It’s everywhere. Working mothers are feeling it, especially in recent years as the COVID-19 pandemic blurred the line between office responsibilities and family duties at home.

Approximately 9.8 million working mothers in the U.S. are suffering from workplace burnout. A reported one million working mothers stopped working altogether during the pandemic. Filling or choosing between these roles isn’t new, but the challenges of current events have made that decision even more difficult.

Women Can Have It All… Just Not Always At The Same Time

Balancing a career with having children is a tale as old as time, especially for women who have to work twice as hard to prove they can be successful as both a parent and a professional. For decades, women have been faced with the decision to choose family or a career, or they can ‘have it all’ but are met with roadblocks, struggles and challenges unique to their position in society.

WIR teamed up with Joann Lublin, author of ‘Power Moms’ and The Wall Street Journal‘s first career advice columnist, and Damaris Santiago, VP of Marketing at Skan, to explore their important insights on this topic.

Watch the episode for advice and expert perspectives on this important topic, moderated by Hana Jacover, Chief Hype Officer and Coach at Hype House Coaching.

How Native American History Makes Your Life Richer

In western civilizations, women’s rights have gone from non-existent to being achieved incrementally thanks to the plights of those who came before us. But knowing this is part of the whitewashed version of history. Let’s talk about Native American History within this context. 

Before the Americas were colonized by Europeans, these continents and islands already had many tribes, languages, and cultures. And while these varied from region to region, they all had something in common: Native women always had property rights.1 Women could also be shamans, warriors, and be active in political life. 

So, instead of continuing to think of the early days of this part of the world through a romanticized (and inaccurate) lens, let’s take a closer look at what it means to celebrate the native peoples of the Americas — and why November has been designated as Native American Heritage Month. 

Origins of Native American Heritage Month

Acknowledgment of the first peoples of this nation started with the efforts of Native American Red Fox James,2 who rode on horseback from state to state in 1914, seeking to create interest in establishing a national holiday commemorating American Natives. The torch was carried on by Seneca archeologist, Dr. Arthur C. Parker,3 who witnessed how the US government stripped Natives of their land and community through legislation.4  

Thanks to his advocacy, in 1916, New York declared an American Indian Day. In 1976, Congress designated the last week of November as Native American Awareness Week. And in 1990, President George H.W. Bush designated the entire month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month. This month was chosen since it’s the end of many Native tribes’ harvest season.

Why Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

In an age when politicians are turning back the clock on women’s rights, it becomes even more important to see Natives practices as inspiration in the fight for equity. 

Indigenous women had complete control of their lives.5 They lived in cultures where gender biases did not exist. They maintained independence, regardless of marital status. This way of life encouraged suffragists: In 1848, Lucrecia Mott visited Seneca and saw these equal rights and responsibilities. This occurred the same summer that she was denied entry to the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention in London. And it was after these experiences that she participated in the Seneca Falls Convention — the precursor to achieving white women’s right to vote in the US. 

Even after European settlers arrived and systemically stripped them of rights, Native American women have continued to thrive and contribute to the richness and advancement of the United States. These contributions have positively impacted many of the fundamental aspects of life:

  • Technology. Product Designer at Facebook, Pomo Native American Danielle Forward,6 has been a pioneer in interaction design (IxD), which anticipates how a user may interact with a system to provide an optimal user experience. And CEO of the First Nations Technology Council, Denise Williams,7 works to ensure that tech companies and governments provide education and access to Native Tribes.
  • Food. It’s crucial to acknowledge that Native tribes are responsible for something even more fundamental to humans around the world: About ⅗ of the world’s crops were first cultivated by Natives.8 Corn, beans, chocolate, and tomatoes exist thanks to them — even before they became staples in many European dishes.
  • Clean energy. It’s not news that the planet needs more sustainable ways of providing energy. Environmental pollution and global warming need to be addressed immediately. And Native tribes are leading the way in implementing wind, water, and solar energy.9 When you remove special interests out of the equation, society at large (and the planet) benefits greatly. This also promotes energy independence at a time when it’s more important than ever.

The more we read about Native American cultures, the more it becomes evident that the country — and the world — owes a lot to them. As such, it then becomes our duty to collectively do better to understand and support them. 

You can do your part by reading Native American stories, actively look for ways to support them,10 and being mindful about respect. And if you liked this blog, check out our resources for more information on how we celebrate and foster diversity.

1: https://cpilj.law.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2515/2018/10/6.2-Before-and-After-the-White-Man-Indian-Women-Property-Progress-and-Power-by-Kathleen-A.-Ward.pdf
2: https://transportationhistory.org/2020/11/09/national-native-american-heritage-month-red-fox-james-advocate-for-native-american-rights/
3: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/research-collections/ethnography/collections/research-and-collections-arthur-c-parker
4: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/dawes-act.htm
5: https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/how-native-american-women-inspired-the-women-s-rights-movement.htm#:~:text=Indigenous%20women%20of%20numerous%20Native,free%20from%20gender%2Dbased%20violence
6: https://www.joinnativesrising.com/danielle-forward/
7: https://technologycouncil.ca/denise-williams/
8: https://www.history.com/news/native-american-foods-crops
9: https://crosscut.com/environment/2022/04/how-tribes-are-harnessing-renewable-resources-energy-and-jobs
10: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/indigenous-peoples-day-native-americans-action/

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Check out our 5th annual State of Women in Revenue Report!
Bridging the Salary Gap: The Paradox of Successful but Unequal (June 2023)