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Some women don’t ask for pay raises because they’re afraid of the consequences

Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
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Emma Burleigh
By
Emma Burleigh
Emma Burleigh
Reporter, Success
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 8, 2024, 8:13 AM ET
Women conversing at a conference table.
Around 42% of women in the U.S. have never asked for a wage increase.Getty Images

Good morning, and Happy International Women’s Day!

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Over the past few years, women have been advised again and again to advocate for themselves in the workplace, promote their achievements, and to ask for a raise. And women actually do ask for raises roughly as often as men do—although with less success. 

But around 42% of women in the U.S. still have never once requested a pay raise, according to this year’s Future of Women in the Workplace report from job search platform Indeed. Out of that group, 31% say they didn’t ask because they lacked the confidence to do so, and the same number worried that asking would have negative consequences.  

“I think there’s a whole host of things that one might fear in that situation,” says Hannah Calhoon, head of AI innovation at Indeed and facilitator of the report. “Are they asking for too much, are they being too pushy? Are they putting their manager in a tough situation?”

On a global scale, around 63% of working women worldwide have never asked for a wage increase. That number rises to around 65% in Singapore, 68% in Italy, and 79% in Japan. The top reasons why were the same as women in the U.S.: a lack of confidence and fear of repercussions.

When women in the U.S. did ask for a wage increase, though, only 19% failed to get one at all, according to the Indeed report. Around 48% got less money than they hoped for, but 33% got what they wanted. Calhoon argues that the success rate is actually pretty good. 

“What this data suggests is the vast, vast majority of the time, if you go and ask for the raise, you’re going to get a raise,” says Calhoon. “Maybe it’s not all of the raise, maybe it’s not the perfect raise. But most of the time, when women do this, they are successful.” 

Calhoon adds that pay transparency can help everyone understand how their salaries stack up to other people in similar roles. Strong companies will also have networks that connect employees with mentors who can help them navigate the workplace, and articulate their own strengths. 

“Organizations should build cultures, processes, mentorship relationships, to give them support to be really successful as they grow their career,” she says.

Emma Burleigh
emma.burleigh@fortune.com
@EmmaBurleigh1

Around the Table

A round-up of the most important HR headlines.

A former Google worker who is Black and deaf, and who the company featured on social media to promote its diversity, is suing the company for discrimination. Wired

The economic gains for lower-paid workers may be slowing down, but they're not disappearing. Wall Street Journal

Layoff announcements in the U.S. went up 3% last month—the highest that number has been since March of last year, and the tech industry is leading in job cuts. Reuters

Watercooler

Everything you need to know from Fortune.

Strong jobs report. The U.S. added another 229,000 jobs in January, as the job market remains solid despite high interest rates.  

Social spaces. Leaders should think about creating “third places” in the office for employees to connect and find more meaning in their jobs, according to the CEO of a major co-working company. —Trey Williams 

Getting creative. One woman wasn’t finding love on Tinder, so she started using it as a networking app. Within a week she secured two interviews—and even landed a job. —Orianna Rosa Royle

Modern shushing. Workers are taking unorthodox measures to stay productive amid distracting office small talk and pretending they're on a Zoom call to find peace and quiet. —Rachyl Jones

This is the web version of CHRO Daily, a newsletter focusing on helping HR executives navigate the needs of the workplace. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.

About the Author
Emma Burleigh
By Emma BurleighReporter, Success

Emma Burleigh is a reporter at Fortune, covering success, careers, entrepreneurship, and personal finance. Before joining the Success desk, she co-authored Fortune’s CHRO Daily newsletter, extensively covering the workplace and the future of jobs. Emma has also written for publications including the Observer and The China Project, publishing long-form stories on culture, entertainment, and geopolitics. She has a joint-master’s degree from New York University in Global Journalism and East Asian Studies.

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