Do the Math - Join the Movement

Dear 100% Talent Community,

If you can’t see it, you can’t change it. That’s why we think it is so important to do the math and see the data. Have you done the math? Many of you did the hard work as part of the 2021 Wage Gap Measurement Data Submission process and now is the perfect time to use the data you compiled to determine your wage gaps. 

We encourage you to frequently do the math to measure your progress in closing any wage gaps in your organization. The process will help you understand if discrepancies exist and where to take action to create a more equitable workplace. 

Employers often do not know how to calculate wage gaps to determine if they have a gender/racial wage gap. That’s where we come in. 

We recommend starting by calculating the raw wage gap which compares the average total compensation between groups of employees across the organization. Raw means that there is no adjustment for type of occupation, education, and experience because often these items are a product of discrimination or bias so shouldn’t be used to justify lower salaries. For example, the average total compensation for white men vs. the average total compensation for women. This is different from performing a compensation analysis focused on evaluating equal pay for equal work (which is also an important practice). Review the equations below to see how you can do your own math.

We look forward to supporting you as you measure your wage gaps and hearing about the conversations and actions this exercise inspires in your organizations. Please contact us at team@thebwwc.org to share or with any questions. 

The BWWC Team