In the compensation field, it has been historically difficult to find legitimate, real-time resources for women. Fortunately for us today, there are a plethora of websites, articles and books to turn to when we need to find that perfect piece of life advice or just the right research to convince people that you are deserving of a raise, or to negotiate the highest salary for a new job.
At Keating Advisors, we like to hear voices and opinions from all over, so we have compiled a list of our favorite "niche websites" and several books that we look to in order to find the best information. I believe that these resources are not only helpful for a small business like mine, but also to the millions of women who are looking for more help negotiating fair pay, balancing home and work life, or even just seeking out individuals for support and collaboration.
Keating Advisors' Niche Websites:
1.LeanIn.org - This foundation has become the ultimate reference for combating the gender pay gap and fighting for gender equality in the workplace. Started by Sheryl Sandberg, the foundation looks to continue the discussion on why there has been a stagnation of women leaders around the world, and to change the stereotypes that people have towards men and women to level the playing field. As a board member, LeanIn gives me an opportunity to raise awareness and offer a real world perspective on how women can take the lead in closing the gender pay gap.
2.American Association of University Women - This organization was founded in 1881 as a way to empower women and families worldwide. Now they have a variety of tools that are exceptionally useful, like research on gender equity in the workplace and legal advocacy for sex discrimination in higher education and the workplace.
3.The Institute for Women's Policy Research - The Institute has been around for over 25 years, and has consistently provided valuable information on potential policies and actions that are being taken towards equality. The Institute conducts rigorous research to, "address the needs of women, promote public dialog, and strengthen families, communities, and societies."
4.Catalyst - This is an organization that truly realizes the mistake that businesses make by discriminating against 50% of the workforce. Catalyst has had programs on science, social work, and education spread throughout campuses and businesses. They have expanded to promote gender equality awareness within businesses by recognizing companies that are taking positive steps towards equality each year.
5.National Committee on Pay Equity - This coalition is a collection of organizations from all over the spectrum. Comprised of labor unions, women's advocacy groups, religious and academic assemblages, as well as professional unions, NCPE works towards closing the gender pay gap through advocacy and increasing public awareness.
6.National Organization for Women - Also known as NOW, this organization has provided the largest support system for feminists and women throughout the nation. NOW provides people with a platform to speak their mind, networking tor each others who are passionate about feminist issues, as well as news and updates from the social and political gender perspectives.
7.National Women's Law Center - This center focuses on championing rights for women and families throughout the entire legislative process. They promote public awareness of certain rules and regulations through campaigns, conduct research to ensure the quality of current policies as well as provide excellent information on the present day representation of women and families.
8.WAGE Project - Standing for "Women are Getting Even", the WAGE Project fights to close the gender pay gap by providing a solid resource for women looking for more information on careers, salaries and general work life.
9.GetRaised - This website is an excellent means of starting the fair pay negotiation with your manager, and for knowing your general employment value. GetRaised offers free compensation advice for people who are new to, or curious about, the compensation field. While broad, it can be eye-opening to see the comparison of your salary to others in the same field, and can inspire you to take further action.
10.Gender Pay Gap App - This app was created to compete in the Equal Pay App Challenge put out by the U.S. Department of Labor, with the goal of raising public awareness of the gender pay gap. The app is user-friendly, and has data that comes directly from the U.S. Department of Labor.
11.Keating Advisors, LLC - And of course, there's us! The mission of Keating Advisors is to ensure that people recognize the significance of their position. Research has shown that most women in the workplace are unwilling to bargain for more money for a whole host of reasons, and we feel that making reliable data available will give them the confidence to request fair compensation. Because of this, we offer fully-customized individual labor marketing pricing reports to persons looking to kick off discussion about the true worth of their job in today's market.
Niche Books
1.Women Don't Ask: The High Cost of Avoiding Negotiation - And Positive Strategies for Change by Linda Babcock and Sarah Laschever. This book strives to explain the phenomena that many women see and experience in their career, diving into the personal and societal reasons why women are unwilling to ask for the salary they deserve, as well as a plethora of other things that they could get just by asking. The book asks hundreds of women about their own experiences, and eventually explains how women can develop the skills needed to get what they need, want and deserve.
2.Getting Even: Why Women Don't Get Paid Like Men - And What To Do About It. This book by Evelyn Murphy and E.J. Graff takes the issue of the gender pay gap, and uses case studies and research to really find out why it's still around. This book shows that there are an overabundance of external factors that can impact a women's work life that would cause her to work less hours, or to receive lower pay then her male counterpart, and offers advice on how to combat these issues.