A couple of years ago, I got tired of my two daughters complaining about things being ‘NOT FAIR’! If you have kids, I’m sure you can empathize...
So I went on a mission to teach them about the difference between equality and equity or fairness. I got them two packs of candy, and instead of giving it to them, I put them up on a shelf that was at a good height for my eldest to reach, but just out of reach for the little one.
The conversation went like this:
Me: Is this equal?
Girls: Yes, we both get a pack of candy.
Me: Is this fair?
Maya (youngest): ‘nooooo, Maya can’t reach it!!!’
Zoe (eldest): ‘What if we gave her a stool? or I can lift her so she can get it? That would be fair?’
Me: Great idea!
I went on to explain that to be ‘fair’ we may need to actually treat people differently, based on their circumstances. Maya is too short, we gave her a stool so she could reach. Zoe didn’t need the stool, so she didn’t get a stool. Zoe had the advantage of already being tall enough. It wasn’t ‘unfair’ she didn’t get the stool. It was unequal, sure, and her sister was treated differently, but it wasn’t unfair. We give people what they need, and no, it doesn’t have to be the same thing all the time. And what that is will be different based on individual circumstances.
We have come a long way on this topic, which is amazing. But we have so much room to grow. We can give people the same equal opportunities, but if we don’t give them the tools to access the opportunities, then we have still failed. So what can we do?
Achieving equity in the workplace requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders: employers, employees, policymakers and society at large. But as a leader, colleague, friend, and mom, I ask myself this question all the time: what can I do?
There are two things I’m going to focus on this year.
1. Sponsor women. We hear so much about mentorship, but what women need the most is sponsorship. Mentorship is great, but it’s the equivalent of Zoe standing next to Maya and saying ‘I see you’re too short, continue to eat your asparagus and get 8 hour sleep, you will get tall enough to grab the candy, and I’ll cheer you on along the way’. Sponsorship is Zoe actually picking Maya up and lifting her to grab the candy. That’s what we need more of.
2. Talk openly about money and salary. I’m very hopeful I will live long enough to see pay equity a reality in my lifetime. I’m hopeful we will see legislation around pay transparency to force organizations to be more transparent about compensation. But in the absence of that, let’s at least talk about it. The more information is out there, the more women can understand their true worth and feel empowered to ask for more.
IWD is upon us, and this year's theme is #EmbraceEquity. I can’t wait to hear what others are doing to support this in their workplace!