Mastering The Art Of Salary Transparency: How Women Can Advocate For Pay Equity

Despite the progress that’s been made toward workplace equality, the pay gap between men and women is still very real. According to PayScale’s 2025 Gender Pay Gap Report, women collectively earn 17 percent less than men based on both the jobs they have and how they are paid in those jobs.

According to ADP, pay equity is the concept of compensating employees who have similar job functions with comparably equal pay, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity or other status. Pay equity impacts millions of women and families, deepening poverty and limiting opportunities — and at the current pace, over 340 million women could face severe poverty by 2030, according to a report from UN Women.

While achieving pay equity on a large scale requires systemic changes, there are still ways women can advocate for themselves and push for more transparency and fairness in the workplace.

Practicing negotiation skills and assertiveness is key to advocating for pay equity, but research has shown many women fear the perception of being too bossy. Before entering a conversation about salary, rehearse your pitch with a trusted confidant and focus on highlighting your value — like your achievements, contributions, and experience.

According to Areen Shahbari, CEO of Shahbari Training & Consultancy, the key to successful negotiation is balancing assertiveness with empathy.

“Being assertive means that you understand and advocate for your own needs, that you understand and protect your boundaries,” she told Harvard’s Division of Continuing Education. “Negotiating with assertiveness and empathy means understanding what you need as well as what the party you negotiate with needs, and it means caring about your interests as much as you care about the other party’s interests.”

Engaging in transparent conversations about salary can help break the silence that often sustains pay disparities. Consider discussing compensation openly with other employees to understand benchmarks and potential disparities. These conversations can be approached respectfully and framed as a way to advocate for fairness and equity for everyone — not just yourself.

“It helps keep a company accountable to fair compensation practices within the organization by ensuring that the same criteria is used employee to employee in determining pay,” Cassandra Faurote, president and founder of Total Reward Solutions, told Lattice.

Seeking out mentors is a powerful way to navigate pay equity challenges, as they can provide guidance, share insights from their own experiences, and help you strategize for salary negotiations. Additionally, finding a sponsor — someone who actively advocates for you in your organization — can open doors to higher-paying opportunities and increase visibility. Building these relationships can boost your confidence, helping you better understand your market value.

“Mentors offer invaluable career guidance and support,” saidDr. Geneva Williams, Leadership Strategist and CEO of Dr. Geneva Speaks. “Without this, women often miss out on critical opportunities for growth and advancement. Personally, I’ve relied heavily on mentors throughout my career. Their advice and direction have been instrumental in my success, helping me navigate complex decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.”

Change begins on a large scale, but there are steps we can take in our daily lives to advocate for pay equity in the workplace. Joining advocacy organizations or employee resource groups dedicated to pay equity and inclusion can amplify your voice and connect you with others committed to pay equity.

These groups often provide resources like salary research, negotiation workshops, and opportunities to influence company policies. By collaborating with others, you can push for transparent pay practices, regular pay audits, and organizational accountability, creating a more equitable workplace for everyone.

Organizations like the National Women’s Law Center and the American Association of University Women provide valuable resources, research, and advocacy efforts to address the gender pay gap. The Equal Pay Today! campaign, a collaboration of national and state-based organizations, works to challenge discriminatory pay practices and push for policy change. Joining these groups can connect you with a broader network, offer educational resources, and help amplify your voice in the movement for fair pay.