My department was given the go-ahead by our very supportive ownership to pilot the placement of a salary range in our job postings last quarter. It’s been very successful according to candidate feedback and I believe the rest of the firm will roll it out shortly. It seems like a very simple thing; here is a job and this range is what we are willing to pay for it.
On the surface, it’s about numbers and not wanting to waste someone’s time if they are out of our reach and vice versa. On another level, this move can address a much larger issue in the technology sector: a lack of diverse problem-solving and strategic thinking because women and POC are under-represented. Additionally, in technology, women and POC tend to be under paid, and, in some cases, not in a position to negotiate and advocate for themselves.
Publishing a salary range — which should have a window of, say, $10k or $20k to account for experience, new skillsets, etc. — puts it all there for everyone to see. It cuts out the bullshit and evens the playing field, plain and simple. Our company culture is based on transparency and trust and that is a cornerstone of my leadership practice. How can we say that we value those elements if our very first interaction does neither?
Ultimately, I want the absolute best fit for our teams and this level playing field is a first step towards that. Diversity in teams should be the net effect of having the most qualified candidates and publishing the salary range should ensure that the best in that range is represented.
Is this an effort to help women and POC get level set in regards to salary? It’s an upside to what should be business as usual, to be quite honest. The work doesn’t stop with the base salary, however. I am cognizant that sectors of the workforce are not able to self-advocate due to myriad reasons including gender and race. I strive to fill the gap in coaching those elements with every member of my teams, regardless of race or gender. To that end, this seemingly small change to a role posting may be just what is needed to find that perfect team addition that has otherwise been overlooked or not confident to move forward. From there, the coaching and learning can begin — in both directions.
