71% of men think they're paid the same as women (They're not)

Women have made advancements in the workplace, but just how far they've come is still up for debate. 

According to data from job search site Monster, just 37% of women feel they're treated equally to their male colleagues, compared to 67% of men who feel the same. When it comes to pay parity, less than a quarter of women believe they're paid the same as men — meanwhile, 71% of men think salary is equal across the board. According to the Department of Labor, women still make 83% of what men make, an annual difference of $10,000. That gap increases for women of color and those with disabilities. 

Reaching gender parity in the workplace is a group effort, and when the right solutions are put into place, can benefit everyone, says Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster. Yet these discrepancies in opinions point to ongoing conversations that still need to be had among colleagues. 

"This isn't just about saying to the men, 'You need to get on board.' It's important to educate everyone," Salemi says. "It should be mandatory for every company to do an internal audit and assess pay for all employees. Let's pay people equally and pay them what they're worth." 

Beyond pay, women still feel overlooked in workplace settings, with 60% of women saying men have more opportunities to get "a seat at the table," according to Monster. Just 12% of men agreed they're given more chances to speak up, and in fact, nearly a fifth of men believe women get more of these opportunities. Just 4% of women agreed with that assessment. 

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"It's not only getting a seat at the table — it's the quality of the opportunity," Salemi says. "It's important for leaders to say, what are we doing to create equal opportunities for everyone to not only have the opportunity, but then to advance and move upward within an organization."  

That means a focus on mentorship and upskilling, along with supportive employee benefits. Monster found that 87% of women valued fair and equal wages, while 38% listed maternity leave and child care benefits as their top priority from their employer. Thirty-five percent want female mentors to help guide them. 

"How can women feel like they have the ability to advance if they don't have evidence of it happening [at your organization]?" Salemi says. "It's being able to show them that women are seen, heard and valued." 

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That requires employers to ask themselves some challenging questions, and then feel prepared to tackle the answers with actionable solutions. If an organization isn't paying people fairly, digging into data to find discrepancies and then closing the gaps is a necessary first step, Salemi says. If employers don't have a female presence in their C-suite, it's important they ask why not, and then look into opportunities for women to get on those tracks. 

"It's very insightful for companies to see if they're paying employees equally, and if not, what is the valid reason — does this person have an advanced degree or more experience, which is legitimate," she says. "Then talk to your employees — get feedback on how you can support them and help them with a clear vision of their future." 

While these conversations typically happen during Women's History Month or when data around equal pay takes center stage, it's vital this is a year-round effort, Salemi says. It won't just benefit women, but the business as a whole. 

"This takes time, effort, energy, intention and focus, and it doesn't happen overnight," she says. "Employers really need to get on board, not only to be competitive, but because it's the right thing to do."