The Disparity Paradox

Stop being trapped by low expectations.

In 1994, Jo Phelan of Columbia University published an article in the Social Psychology Quarterly titled “The Paradox of the Contented Female Worker.” Phelan built on research conducted by Faye Crosby in 1978, in which women reported much higher satisfaction with their work compared to men, despite earning much less.

Phelan and other researchers believe that this phenomenon is the result of devastatingly low expectations. Women expect to be paid less, so they don’t mind when their expectations are met.

In a study by Brenda Major and Ellen Konar at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, male and female participants were asked to indicate their salary expectations in their first year of employment after graduation, as well as at their “career peak.” Men estimated earnings 3-13% higher than women in their first year and a whopping 32% higher at their career peak.

Because of these much lower expectations, women are less accustom than men to evaluating the market value of their work or leveraging the power of data to get what they want. They are less likely to research average salaries for comparable work, present competing offers to their employers or emphasize to their boss’s the objective value they bring to their jobs.

But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

A 2003 study by Linda Babcock, Hannah Riley and Kathleen McGinn published by the Negotiation Journal found that the gender pay gap disappeared when men and women had access to the same, reliable information about competitive salary levels. This means that women can drastically improve their salaries when they have access to accurate salary information from an objective source.

This is where Higher Value Consulting can help. Gain access to valuable salary insights through our Certified Compensation Professionals in order to eliminate the social barriers that may be keeping you back from earning so much more.