Top 10 Negotiation Skills: Gender Pay Equity
- Nancy Maher
- Mar 6
- 12 min read
Updated: Apr 9
Is the gender pay gap real?
Oh yeah, it's alive and kicking!
The gender pay gap is not merely a "women's issue" – it represents an economic and social failure.
In 2024, Equal Pay Day in the UK was on November 20; women effectively worked unpaid from November 22nd due to wage disparities.
Globally, women earn just 77 cents for every dollar men earn.
Yet, society often frames this crisis as a personal shortcoming: If only women negotiated better.
This toxic narrative ignores reality: Women do negotiate, but when asking for raises, they are more likely to face rejection than men. The root causes – occupational segregation, caregiving penalties, and workplace bias – demand systemic solutions. However, negotiation skills remain critical for navigating this unequal landscape.
Drawing from Alison Fragale’s behavioural science research and global pay gap data, this guide debunks the myths about women and negotiation we offer actionable strategies to negotiate salary and challenge inequitable systems.
Contents
The Gender Pay Gap
What Is a Gender Pay Gap?
The gender pay gap is the difference in average earnings between men and women. This is expressed as a percentage of men's earnings. It's calculated by comparing the median or mean earnings of men and women and usually focuses on full-time workers to ensure a fair comparison. The gap is not just about unequal pay for equal work (illegal in many countries); it's about disparities in job roles, sectors, and career advancement opportunities.
Gender Pay Gap Statistics: UK Perspective
In March 2025, the UK gender pay gap was reported to have dropped to its lowest ranking among the 33 OECD countries in over a decade, according to the PwC Women in Work 2025 index - now in 18th place.
At this rate, it is estimated that it will still take 33 years for the UK gender pay gap to close.
The average gender pay gap in the OECD is 13.1%, whereas in the UK, it stands at 13.5%, despite a total contribution of £74.4 billion from increased female participation in the UK's GDP between 2011 and 2023.
The UK 2024 gender pay gap report, which measures the difference between average hourly earnings reveals:
Among full-time employees, the UK gender pay gap was 7.0%, versus 7.5% in 2023
For all employees, the UK gender pay gap was 13.1%, versus 14.2% in 2023
Full-time median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were £19.24 for men and £17.88 for women
According to CIPD's analysis, the worst sectors include Construction (22.83%), Finance and Insurance Activities (21.20%) and Education (20%).
Gender Pay Gap Statistics: Global Perspective
Worldwide:
Globally, the gender pay gap is estimated at around 20%.
The World Economic Forum estimates it will take 134 years to reach full gender parity according to their Global Gender Gap Index.
The UN estimates it will take over a century to close the gender wealth gap.
59 economies still present legal and systemic barriers preventing women from entering the workforce in particular industries.
Intersectionality: The gap widens for women of colour - Black women in the US earn 63.7 cents per white male dollar.
Why the Gender Pay Gap exists?
The gap persists not because women “don’t ask”. Women are as likely as men to negotiate for promotions and salary raises. Systemic and societal factors are the major factors.
Motherhood Penalty: The pay gap widens with more children due to reduced working hours and biased employment decisions. Pregnant Then Screwed reported that 35.9% of women experienced being sidelined or demoted during pregnancy, maternity leave, or upon returning and 74,000 women lose their jobs annually for pregnancy or maternity leave.
Broken rung: A term coined by McKinsey, it refers to women's challenges in moving from entry-level to managerial roles. This significantly impacts the gender pay gap as starting on a higher paid leadership position at the early stages of their professional lives narrows the gap.
Promotion barriers: In the US, Women hold only 29% of C-suite positions despite comprising 47% of entry-level roles.
Claudia Goldin was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2023 for her pioneering research on inequality and women's involvement in the workforce. She reported that the gender wage gap exists due to the following factors:
Occupational segregation: About 1/3 of the gender wage gap is due to occupational segregation. Women dominate lower-paid sectors like caregiving and education, while men cluster in higher-paying fields like tech and engineering.
Temporal flexibility: About 2/3 of the gender wage gap is due to temporal flexibility. Significant pay gaps occur in careers with the least flexibility, like business and finance. Daily, women perform 2.8 hours more unpaid care work than men who can work slightly more hours per week, have fewer “career breaks”, and are more open to unpredictable hours.
Closing the Gender Pay Gap
Global Efforts
The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), led by the ILO, UN Women, and OECD, aims to achieve global equal pay for women and men. EPIC is the sole multi-stakeholder partnership addressing this issue globally, regionally, and nationally. It unites diverse organisations to support governments, employers, workers, and organisations in coordinated efforts to close the gender pay gap.
Company Efforts
Strategies like bias-free recruitment, skill-based assessments, transparent promotion and pay processes, flexible work arrangements, improved parental leave, and mentorship for women are vital. Leadership commitment, accountability, and regular progress monitoring are also vital, along with efforts to increase the percentage of women in senior roles.
Country Efforts
Gender pay gap reporting was introduced in the United Kingdom in 2017. Private and voluntary sector employers and some public sector bodies with 250 or more employees must publically report annual gender pay gap data.
In the US, there are no federal mandates, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive, which is effective June 2026, mandates uniform reporting across member states and applies to companies with 100 or more employees.
OK, now that we know about the gender pay gap and how it impacts you, what can you do about it for your situation?
Negotiation
What Is Negotiation?
Negotiation can be defined as an attempt to reach a mutually beneficial agreement between two or more parties. It involves communication, compromise, and sometimes a bit of creativity to find common ground.
Why Negotiation Skills Are So Important
Negotiation is a superpower that can be transformational. And negotiation in the workplace is particularly important as it can help resolve conflicts, secure better deals, or land a promotion. For example:
Around 66% of job candidates received better starting salary offers after negotiating.
According to a survey by Fidelity Investments, 87% of people who negotiated a job offer were successful in getting something, even if not everything they asked for.
However, it extends far beyond the realm of salary discussions - it is beneficial both personally and professionally. Effective negotiation helps you assert your value and needs and fosters stronger relationships by promoting mutual understanding and respect.
Debunking 3 Toxic Myths About Women and Negotiation
"The gender pay gap is often (wrongly) attributed to women’s negotiation abilities, and research reveals these claims are rooted in outdated stereotypes." Nancy Maher, Kinkajou Founder
Myth 1: “Women Don’t Negotiate”
Reality: Studies show that women actually negotiate job offers more frequently than men - 54% of women vs. 44% of men.
But: are less successful when they do (often because of bias).
Myth 2: “Women Can't Negotiate - And Become Unlikeable When They Do"
Reality: Women excel in skills critical to effective negotiation, including empathy, rapport-building, and problem-solving, but face bias when using assertiveness.
In fact, women face backlash not for negotiating, but for how they’re expected to negotiate - in alignment with gender stereotypes.
In her book "Likeable Badass", Alison Fragale emphasises that women can actually be both likeable and assertive - these traits are not mutually exclusive!
To avoid triggering that backlash, Fragale suggests balancing assertiveness with an empathetic and communal approach.
Using “communal” framing - “This raise will help my team” - versus an individual request.
And collaborative language - “Could we explore…?” - reduces likability penalties
Myth 3: “Closing the Pay Gap Requires Women to Negotiate Harder"
Reality: The gender pay gap stems from systemic issues like occupational segregation and caregiving penalties, not individual negotiation failures. And, actually, occupational advancement such as promotions and obtaining leadership roles closes gaps more effectively.
As we've seen, women face higher rejection rates in salary negotiations compared to men, despite asking more often.
Overemphasising negotiation places unfair blame on women and ignores discrimination in hiring and promotion practices.
Group Coaching for Women and Pay Rises
Emerging research shows that structured group coaching for women significantly boosts women’s likelihood of securing pay rises.
In a recently published study on the impact of women-only group coaching;
71% of coached women received a pay rise vs. 48% of the control group.
The results also showed that coached women demonstrated higher bridging social capital - the ability to form connections across diverse professional networks - and greater workplace courage when advocating for career advancement.
Women-specific group coaching programmes provide accessible, safe spaces for self-advocacy and offer scalable solutions for pay gap negotiations, especially when included in organisational diversity strategies.
Alison Fragale’s Negotiation Framework
So the big question is - how to improve negotiation skills? My 2023 published research - Coaching for gender diversity: A thematic analysis of approaches, frameworks, and their efficacy explored the challenge for women navigating the double-binds in a gendered organisation. So, I love Alison Fragale's research on gender, status and the concept of a Likeable Badass.
Fragale explores ways women can navigate these double standards by:
Mindset Management
Balance capability and likability, avoid “aggressive” stereotypes.
Problem: Women face a tightrope – they are considered too assertive which can equal “bossy”, or too passive which can equal “weak”.
Solution: Frame negotiations as problem-solving.
For example:
🎤 “I want to ensure my compensation aligns with the market rate for this scope. Could we review the benchmarks together?”
Strategic Communication
Fragale’s studies show “weak” language disarms resistance, lowering defences:
For example:
Ineffective | Fragale’s Approach |
“I deserve 10% more” | “Would you consider adjusting this to reflect industry averages?” |
“This offer is too low” | “Help me understand how this aligns with the role’s responsibilities?” |
Status-Building Tactics
Leverage networks and visibility to amplify influence.
Visibility: Negotiate for high-profile projects, not just pay
Networks: Seek advocates who’ll endorse you in closed-door meetings
Credentialing: “I’ve completed [certification] – could we discuss expanding my client portfolio?”
Make Your Case for a Salary Raise
Gather information about your achievements and the value you have created, and think about how you can strategically improve your negotiation position.
What achievements am I most proud of?
How can I share my achievements?
How can I quantify these achievements?
What do I need to help me achieve my short-term and longer-term goals?
What would enable me to make an even more significant impact in this role?
Top 10 Salary Negotiation Tips
In the pursuit of fair compensation and career advancement, mastering negotiation skills is crucial for women seeking to bridge the pay gap. Whether negotiating for a new job or a salary increase in your existing company, we've distilled our top 10 negotiation skills and techniques to empower you with the strategies and confidence needed to advocate for yourself and your team in the workplace.
Ask Powerful Questions
Negotiation success often hinges on asking powerful questions that uncover hidden interests, foster collaboration, and drive mutually beneficial outcomes. Be ready with your questions and how to handle varying responses.
Download Your Free Guide Now: 91 Questions to Negotiate Your Worth
Negotiate Beyond Salary
Negotiating salary increases is essential, but it doesn't need to stop there. Career progression is ultimately a way to help you jump up a pay band. Reframe negotiating for a pay increase to negotiating your employment package. Consider compensation and benefits like career progression, professional experience, and training.
additional budget (for team events, consulting, etc.)
company share bonuses
conference sponsorships
flexibility
mentorship
mobile phone contracts
performance-based bonuses
redundancy package
relocation package
signing bonuses
specific projects
sabbaticals
training
work hours
Do Your Research
Gender Pay Gap Research Playbook for Women has recommendations on free tools and research tips to determine the appropriate salary for your role. Use this information to support your case for a raise if you're underpaid.
Performance evidence: Document your achievements, contributions, and any additional responsibilities you've taken on that go beyond your job description.
Understand Your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement)
Your BATNA is a significant source of power in negotiations. Roger Fisher and William Ury coined the term in their book Getting to Yes. BATNA strengthens your position and prepares alternative options before entering negotiations.
You can improve your job compensation by using an outside job offer to leverage salary negotiations (quit without quitting). This gives you real insights into the market salary and compensation. However, be prepared to leave your company if this doesn't work.
Build Relationships
Trust is foundational in any negotiation.
It's not just about getting a deal. It's about building positive relationships.
Nurture your network. Allyship and advocacy help everyone.
Using strategies that demonstrate flexibility and cooperation while advocating for your value within the company is beneficial for long-term career growth. You will have access to more opportunities, and your visibility will increase.
Actively listen - understand their perspective and what their challenges are.
Find shared interests or goals - these build stronger connections.
Be willing to compromise - have your BATNA handy.
Negotiation Skills Development
Develop your negotiation skills and experience. Many people fear negotiations, so start building that muscle.
Role-play "pre-negotiations" with colleagues or explore in coaching, Leadership Coaching for Women or Peer Coaching Circles
Negotiate "the small stuff" to normalise self-advocacy
Use “we” language to emphasise collaboration
Respond to pushback with calibrated questions (“What would need to change for this to work?”)
Get used to handling "Nos"
Practice talking about your achievements
Record yourself to eliminate hesitant language (“um”, “just”)
For example:
I’ve been reflecting on my role and contributions to the company, and I’d like to have a conversation about my compensation. Based on market research and my responsibilities, I believe there may be a gap between my current salary and what others in similar roles are earning. I’d love to hear your perspective on this.
Align With the Organisation's Goals Collaboratively
Research shows that when women make a collaborative justified request, they achieve more success and lower the risk of backlash.
Reflect on the following:
What are the company's strategic goals or your boss's key objectives?
How can you help your leader and team achieve these objectives?
What could help you to deliver more impact?
What could reduce your stress?
What could get you closer to your goals?
Be specific about how your ask helps the company, department or your boss's objectives.
We love the Worthmore Relational Ask Equation™ (WRAE)
Past performance: Accomplishments that demonstrate your value.
Future vision: Something the company or your boss wants.
The ask: What you need to drive the vision, i.e. training, new title, etc.
Worthmore Relational Ask Equation™ (WRAE) Example
I've successfully launched two new features that increased our monthly recurring revenue by 25% (Past Performance).
Looking ahead, I see an opportunity to expand into the enterprise market, potentially growing revenue by 20% next year (Future Vision).
To lead this effectively, I'm requesting the Senior Product Manager title and a salary of £90k, which is in line with the current market (The Ask).
Make the First Offer
Contrary to popular belief, research shows that making the first offer can create a strong anchoring effect. People tend to adjust counteroffers based on this initial number, even if they had a different figure in mind. However, you need to make your initial offer ambitious yet reasonable - hence doing the research first.
Leverage Timing
Lay the Groundwork
Several months in advance, inform your boss that you are interested in a raise or promotion. Ask about what they want you to accomplish to reach this next level.
Negotiate after wins
Timing can be used to your advantage, e.g. project completion or during performance reviews.
After securing a major client
During budget planning cycles
When male peers’ salaries surface
Assess timing during cost-cutting periods
Your performance might not guarantee a raise if the company is cutting costs and positions. However, some companies prioritise retaining top talent and may adjust budgets to provide salary increases. Assess first before you make a call.
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway
This is a powerful mindset to adopt in compensation negotiations.
If you don't change your direction, you're likely to end up where you're heading. Susan Jeffers
Common fears
Fear of rejection
Worry about seeming greedy
Anxiety about damaging relationships
Root causes
Lack of confidence in your worth
Cultural or societal norms
Past negative experiences
Approaches
View negotiation as a normal part of business, not a confrontation
Prepare follow-up responses to potential objections
Practice negotiating regularly
Work with a coach or mentor
Recommended Negotiation Books
Here are some of our best books for salary negotiation.
AND check out our Top 7 Books: Women's Empowerment.
Summing Up
The gender pay gap is real.
The root causes are not about women's negotiation skills; they are due to occupational segregation, caregiving penalties, and workplace bias.
However, negotiation skills remain critical for navigating this unequal landscape. But each “Would you consider…?” chips away at the status quo.
Effective negotiation strategies, such as reframing discussions as collaborative problem-solving and leveraging data-driven benchmarks, can help. However, it requires a dual approach. Pair these strategies with advocacy for structural change – because closing the pay gap isn’t about fixing women. It’s about rebuilding broken systems, one negotiated win at a time.
➡️ Want to level-up your negotiating game?
Check out our leadership development services, including leadership coaching for women and peer coaching circles, to support your goals.
