For decades, March has been officially recognized as Women’s History Month in the United States, a time to celebrate women’s contributions throughout history. Despite these celebrations, women continue to face wage disparities compared to their male counterparts. Recent data from the Pew Research Center reveals that women earn only 82 cents for every dollar that men earn. To highlight this inequality, National Equal Pay Day is observed on March 12 each year, symbolizing the extra time women must work to match men’s earnings from the previous year.
Women are still significantly underrepresented in high-paying fields and have only made slight progress in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Pew Research Center findings show that the percentage of women in computer, science, and engineering jobs increased from 19% in 1982 to 27% in 2022. Women who do make it into STEM fields often perceive or experience wage disparities compared to their male colleagues.
Another challenge women face in the workplace is the “missing middle rung,” referring to the lack of support and opportunities for advancement. A report by Checkr indicates that a significant majority of women believe they are overlooked for promotions due to their gender, with 70% suspecting that men are preferred for advancement opportunities. This belief extends to perceptions of respect for women in management roles, which is viewed as less than that of their male counterparts.
However, there is a silver lining in the form of mentorship and transparency. Women in STEM with female mentors report higher promotion rates than those without. Specifically, 31% of women with female mentors received a promotion in the past year, compared to 21% of women without. Additionally, the importance of transparency in career progression and the need for clear recruitment and policy frameworks are highlighted as crucial for advancing women in STEM, according to STEM Women research.
This data underscores the ongoing challenges women face in achieving equality in the workplace, particularly in STEM fields and the importance of mentorship, transparency, and supportive policies in addressing these issues.
