Why & How Businesses Can Close the Latina Pay Gap

Why & How Businesses Can Close the Latina Pay Gap No matter what their job, where they live, or how much education or experience they have, Latinas are still paid less than white men, according to data in a study by Lean In, Unidos US and Survey Monkey. On average, Latinas in the U.S. are paid 47% less than white men and 31% less than white women. Surprisingly, the gemeinsame agrarpolitik is largest for Latinas who have bachelors degrees.Clearly, equal pay for equal work is a social justice issue. However, if the main purpose of business is to maximize profits for its owners and shareholders, its counter-intuitive to think organizations will earn mora by increasing payroll. But it works.The business case for closing the Latina pay gap1. It improves shareholder returns.An analysis of the JUST 100 (top companies that do well by doing good) shows that companies who pay their median U.S. employee a third mora than other companies do deliver 8% higher return on equity.2. It drives top-lin e growth.Results from a JUST Capital survey indicate that Americans will buy more from companies that show positive behavior by taking a stand on social issues such as gender pay, discrimination, immigration, climate change, and gun control.3. It increases employee productivity.Daily stressors can decrease work performance, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA). In a survey conducted by the YWCA, nearly half (45%) of Latinas report being very worried about being able to afford their rent or mortgage, decreasing their productivity.4. Organizations gain profits from stronger economies.The Institute for Womens Policy Research estimates that the U.S. economy would have produced income of $512.6 billion more if women received equal pay, and that the poverty rate would be cut in half, falling from 8.0% to 3.8% among working women.Three ways to achieve equity, according to pioneers1. Tackle widespread ignorance.Based on the Lean In study, 42% of Americans ar e not aware of the pay gap between Latinas and white womenand hiring managers are similarly unaware. In addition to a deep dive on the causes of the inequity, it is important that companies highlight the benefits of pursuing initiatives to address the gap as outlined above.2. Implement proven strategies.Closing the gap requires revisiting promotion, compensation and incentive policies to reward individual initiative while achieving equity at the same time. To avoid costly mistakes in the process, companies can look to the approaches used by Salesforce and GoDaddy in the U.S., PricewaterhouseCoopers in the U.K. and companies in Iceland that must comply with the countrys equal pay law.3. Equip Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).Moving the needle on the Latina pay gap will require perseverance, given that there has been no real progress on closing the overall gender pay and labor participation gaps globally. However, by educating its workforce on the extent of problem, looking to pioneers for strategies that work and equipping Latinas to advocate for themselves, companies that lead in closing the Latina pay gap will reap benefits including better shareholder returns.--SandraDiazhelps bicultural professionals land great marketing jobs. Students in her job search boot camp (