Even though women account for roughly half of the labor force supply and more than half of global consumer demand, they are not widely represented in a range of industries like sales and are not earning as much as men in sales. While women are over-represented in underpaying jobs, they aren’t moving into more lucrative careers like sales, and even when they are, they aren’t moving into leadership roles at the rate men are. This is the status quo when it comes to gender parity in sales. Now, what are we going to do about it?
First: Define the Problem
Gender parity statistics provide an essential angle of the story, but they don’t always give the whole story. For instance, most of us don’t look beyond this statistic that women, on average, make only $.80 on the dollar that men make. That statistic varies by industry or business sector.
In the legal profession, some statistics show that women are only making .64 cents on each dollar men earn. Moreover, which women are earning .80 cents on the dollar men make? It’s not African American women or many other women of color. They’re frequently earning less than white women.
Why Aren’t Women–All Women–Earning As Much As Men?
Wage disparity is a web–icky and sticky. Each thread represents just one of the many reasons why women earn less than men on the job, and these reasons reflect just about every sector of the economy, including sales. What are they? Here are just a few to consider:
- Discrimination against women and women of color
- Lack of educational opportunities
- Less land ownership
- Less inheritance than men
- Childcare/family care responsibilities
- Care of the home
- Limited career choices
- Less political representation
- Reduced access to investments and capital
These are all factors that affect women collectively. Men continue to perform more paid work than women, and men’s work tends to be placed at a higher value from an economic standpoint.
Go Bold or Go Home
Saleswomen, you can’t view gender parity as a noun–as a static thing. Make it a verb; make it all about action. Very few changes have been made without a fight–or a peaceful revolution, if you will. Without some bold actions on our part, how can we expect to change the status quo? Moreover, how can we prevent a backslide and earn even less than that $.80 on the dollar?
Network
What many women’s achievements have in common is networking, women coming together with a common purpose and set of goals in mind. The National Association of Women Sales Professionals is one such organization working to improve economic opportunities for saleswomen of every industry and stripe. One woman may find it tough to make a political case for equal pay enforcement, but thousands of women cannot be so easily ignored.
Women in sales must take advocacy seriously. Joining an organization like NAWSP is like tapping into a unionizing force. National organizations can get more political attention than individual women, and they can keep their members informed about all things related to their field and employment as women.
But joining an organization isn’t the only step an empowered woman should take. Be active in that organization. Message leadership with your concerns. Volunteer to attend workshops, seminars, trade shows–whatever it takes to help your cause. Each year, organizations like NAWSP outline goals. Let your organization know what you believe contributes to gender disparity in your sales sector. Active participation in a network can help you contribute to building an equal workforce, but it can also help you to address your specific career goals.
Stand Alone
Networks can help you and foster your growth as a sales professional, but ladies, sometimes you’re going to have to stand alone. More than that–sometimes you’re going to have to act alone to do the right thing for yourself and all the women employed at your company after you. What does this mean? It means you must be willing to report wrong-doing when you witness it or experience it. If you are harassed, don’t sweep it under the rug. Report it. If that doesn’t work, consult with your network to get help locating an employment attorney who can advise you. Document unfair business practices; go over your manager’s head when you have clear evidence of their unfair business practices.
Standing alone and being bold doesn’t always work. But sometimes it does. After all, we cannot ignore the fact that progress has happened. By remaining timid and failing to take action, we can be assured that we will be stuck with the status quo. Research, learn, and grow–these actions can help you investigate each issue that befalls you and to take the right steps to better your career–and the careers of all the other women who’ll come after you.