Have you ever told yourself the statements below or something similar to this?
“I wish I would have asked for more money when negotiating my salary.”
“I should have applied for that promotion.”
I have been there. A situation presented itself recently in my professional life and I wasn’t going back to that self-talk conversation again. About a week ago a position became available at my company. Pursing this position falls in line with a personal goal I have been shooting for over the last two to three years.
Given that I have only been at this company for 10 months, I was nervous about asking my boss and my energy was wasted on this nervousness rather than pouring the energy into a productive conversation with my boss. Well, I decided to talk with my boss and now the wheels are in motion. I realized that all I needed to do was speak up.
I recently ran across a statistic that says that women are only making 77.8 cents on the dollar earned by men. Despite the government’s efforts (Equal Pay Act, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act) to minimize the wage gap between men and women, the disparity still exists. Why is it still here? One reason (other reasons need to be saved for another post) is that men simply ask for what they want. If it’s that simple, then how can women aid in the effort to breaking the glass ceiling? It starts with YOU, so speak up!
I recently ran across a statistic that says that women are only making 77.8 cents on the dollar earned by men. Despite the government’s efforts (Equal Pay Act, Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act) to minimize the wage gap between men and women, the disparity still exists. Why is it still here? One reason (other reasons need to be saved for another post) is that men simply ask for what they want. If it’s that simple, then how can women aid in the effort to breaking the glass ceiling? It starts with YOU, so speak up!
With my work in HR, I have engaged in conversations with women in the workplace that were overworked, burnt out and trying to maintain the balancing act of working all day, attending to kids and family in the evenings, only to find themselves working again after the kids are down for the night. (Can you relate?)
Some of these women have come to me saying that they’re thinking of leaving the company because of the required hours on the job and their desire to spend more time with their family. These were high performing employees so I asked, “What will it take to keep you here?” After talking with these women, we were able to negotiate a win/win work arrangement for the employee and the company.
I have experienced the need to speak up in my professional and personal life and I share some tips with you here.
Tips for Speaking Up
1. Think through what you are really asking for. Take some time to determine what you want/need before asking for it. Is it a salary increase? Is it a flexible schedule like a compressed workweek (ie, 4/10’s), is it a part-time schedule? Is it a promotion to a higher level? Is it a job transfer to another office? Spend some time thinking through it and perhaps talking with your family before discussing it with your company.
2. Don’t be afraid of rejection. What’s the worst that could happen? They could say no, right? Well, if they do, consider your other options. Yes, there are options. You could consider pursing opportunities outside the organization in a company culture that better suits your desired lifestyle. You could re-evaluate your needs and ask yourself if it can wait another year or two before revisiting it again. Be creative and consider all your options.
3. Leverage your resources. Your supervisor isn’t your only resource when presenting your ideas. You may be able to leverage your HR team to discuss your challenges/ideas before presenting to your supervisor. In environments where HR may not feel like a “safe” place, consider your personal and professional network or the company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Your resources can coach you on your approach and build your confidence so you are prepared to have the conversation with your supervisor.
4. Be a visionary. If you can vision it, you can do it. Just because a formal telecommuting program doesn’t exist, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Some women have come to me requesting for a telecommuting schedule, part-time schedules, etc. While that practice may not be common in some organizations, just ask for it! As a result of employees simply asking for what they wanted, I have implemented formal work/life balance programs at companies I worked for.
5. Prepare for a negotiation. The company company has to balance business needs and retaining you as an employee, but it never hurts to ask. Be prepared for a little negotiation with the company. For example, you may ask to work from home two days a week, they may come back and say, we can’t do two days but we are willing do offer you one day a week. Consider your company culture, the business and what you’re willing to give and take, and be prepared to respond to a little game of ping pong negotiation
6. Celebrate. If their response is a “Yes,” celebrate! If the response is a “No,” Celebrate! You’ve asked for what you wanted and even if you got a “No,” you can celebrate your speaking up. If you get into the practice of asking for what you want, the next request will be a little easier to tackle.
I’d like to close this article with an experience I had with a former employer that initiated a shift in the company's organizational culture. When I interviewed for this company, I was employed at a firm with a corporate culture that was supportive of my working from home because I was taking care of a sick mom who required frequent doctor visits during the weekdays.
The prospective employer I was interviewing with did not fully embrace and support the work from home arrangement. During the interview process I spoke up about the flexibility I needed to manage my career, successfully contribute to the company, and be responsible for taking care of my mom.
I got the job with the flexibility I needed to manage my mom’s doctor appointments. Over my 5 year tenure there, the company slowly shifted their view of the work from home arrangement. Formal alternate work programs were implemented at the organization.
I share this experience with you because you never know the impact your speaking up can have in other people’s lives. Speak up and who knows, you can be a pioneer for other women!
As for the opportunity I'm currently pursuing, let's just say that it could get me closer to my home state of Louisiana!
Reflective questions of the day:
I’ve written this in a workplace context but I encourage you to expand it to your personal life. What have you wanted in your life that you haven’t asked for? It could be your professional life, life with your spouse, life with your friends. Why haven’t you asked for it? What do you need to do differently so that you will feel confident about asking for it? What techniques can you offer others that worked for you when you had to speak up?
