The STEM field is growing every single year and is considered one of the most sought after career fields. While many woman are graduating with STEM degrees and entering the field in higher numbers than ever before, there is still a huge problem that they are facing: unfair wages compared to their male colleagues’ earnings.
The Current State
According to the Stanford Graduate School of Business, a woman in engineering and technology makes nearly $4,000 less than men in entry-level positions. This study was done with men and women that are working the same exact positions with the same amount of previous experience.
These wage gaps are not only seen between men and women, with women of color being affected the most with the wage gap. Pew Research Center found that Black and Hispanic women make 83% of what a White man would earn working the same position in the STEM field.
Within the STEM field, women in different positions experience varying wage gaps. For example, new female gradates in computer science make an average salary of $79,000 while male graduates make an average of $82,000 (National Center for Women & Information Technology). Regarding the science field there is a much bigger wage gap. This gap has been reported to be at least $18,000 for candidates with PhDs as reported by the US National Science Foundation’s annual census.
While there is a wage gap present in STEM fields, women working in STEM experience a much smaller wage gap compared to women in other fields. In a study from the U.S. Department of Commerce, it was found that women in STEM jobs earn 33% more than women that work in non-STEM positions.
What Can Be Done?
Fixing the wage gap for every women in STEM is hard, but not impossible.
The first thing that can be done is to make employers aware of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, which is a federal law that requires equal pay for equal work. If an employer is found to not be properly following this federal law by providing unequal wages, it could lead to legal troubles and lawsuits.
Another way to close the wage gap is to schedule regular audits of employee wages at the company and investigate any disparities between men and women’s pay if they are present. Conducting an audit like this can help pay disparities be identified and enables leadership to take action to close the gap.
Many research studies, like the one from Stanford, have found that women have a harder time negotiating salary during the hiring process compared to men due to social norms and fear of retaliation for doing so. This lack of pay negotiating can broaden the wage gap more. To avoid this wage gap from widener more at a company, women should be encouraged and open to negotiating their salary.
Sometimes it can feel that there are a lot of factors preventing the wage gap to be closed with preconceived notions of gender roles and lack of action, both of which can be disheartening for women in STEM. Closing the wage gap will take time, but with push from both job seekers and employers, it can be improved over time.
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Top talent in scientific, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can be hard to find using traditional recruiting methods. STEM professionals’ searches differently for new opportunities and your organization may need to think creatively and utilize new tools in order to get your jobs in front of these individuals. Below are five ways you can reach and engage talent in STEM.
A great way to get in front of STEM professionals is to meet them where they already are. What kinds of magazines, podcasts, websites, etc. might your target candidates be engaging with? For example, if you are looking to bring on Chemical Engineers, Chemical Engineering Magazine might be a good place to advertise on. In some cases, these publications have their own job board, email newsletter or social media channels, which are additional opportunities to get your job postings in front of the right people.
If you are trying to grow your hiring network in a particular area of STEM, look no further than events such as trade shows, conferences, seminars, etc. . There are many event options throughout the year in a variety of industries and specialties within STEM. These events, whether national, local or virtual, are a great opportunity to make connections in a specific space. By growing your connections, you can increase your network reach and bring more attention to your organization and critical roles.
STEMHUNTER’s next-generation platform was built specifically for reaching and engaging top STEM talent. Whether posting your job on the board, or searching STEMHUNTER’s candidate database, your company can get in front of the right professionals and create a seamless hiring process that could lead you to your next stand-out employee. Start a free trial today and see for yourself why STEMHUNTER is a top choice for employers.
When your organization is in need of fresh STEM talent, turn to colleges and universities. These institutions are guaranteed to have new graduates looking to enter the job market every year in a number of disciplines. Your organization can get in front of these prospects by posting on their university job board, attending career fairs and getting involved on campus. Through clubs, seminars or events, you can be targeted in your recruiting efforts to find the students with the experience and interests you are looking for.
When prospecting employees, professional organizations may not come to mind as a hiring tactic. However, there are organizations for a number of different interest groups and industries, allowing you to build your network in a particular area. In addition to making critical connections in your space, these organizations offer various events and promotional opportunities that you can utilize to build attention and awareness of your hiring efforts.
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According to data compiled by TeamStage, motivated and engaged teams experience increased productivity, higher retention and greater profitability compared to unmotivated teams. However, the data also shows that only an alarming 33 percent of employees in the US feel motivated at work. If motivated employees have such a large impact on business success, shouldn’t managers focus on the ways they can engage and inspire their team at work? Below are six proven tips to increase motivation and engagement within your organization.
Recognize Accomplishments
When is the last time you recognized a coworker for a job well-done? Consider the ways in which you can formally and informally recognize the accomplishments of your team. Celebrate the small achievements of your coworkers by making time to stop by their desk or send them a thoughtful message. Recognize larger accomplishments by giving your team member a shout-out at a team meeting or in a company newsletter. If your organization doesn’t have a formal awards or recognition program, consider putting one in place as this is an excellent motivator and is likely to encourage greater team productivity.
Set Goals Together
A great approach to boost employee engagement is to allocate time to collaborate and brainstorm with your team to set specific and measurable goals. Discuss the “why” behind the goals and objectives your team is setting to make sure everyone is on the same page. Having your team be a part of the goal-setting process establishes transparency and intrinsic motivation to work towards the group’s objectives. Create goal check-in points to discuss progress and re-evaluate the goals if needed. Additionally, remember to celebrate when goals are met and continue to establish new goals and objectives that are clear and measurable with your team.
Include Others in Decision Making
Consider the ways you can get your team involved in decision making. From small, daily decisions to larger, more impactful changes, your team can offer value to the decision-making process. Give them the opportunity to provide feedback on current practices and leave room for any new ideas they may have. Including your coworkers in this way allows them to feel like their opinions are valued and their voice is heard. This builds team motivation and helps your employees understand why decisions are made to benefit the organization.
Offer Leadership Opportunities
Your coworkers might jump at a leadership opportunity if given the chance. Whether you give them an opportunity to head a project, contribute to the team in a different capacity or take the lead on a new initiative, offering the ability to take on additional responsibility is a great way to motivate employees and increase productivity. Continue to provide support to them in this new position and offer constructive feedback if needed so that they can be successful.
Set Aside Time For Non-Work Talk
When is the last time you caught up with your team? Setting aside time for your coworkers to get together outside of work is a great way to get to know each other’s interests and form a stronger team bond. This can be a formal, work-sponsored event or an informal check-in with a coworker. Creating these connection opportunities is a great way to communicate with your team in a different way and can support your organization’s positive culture and employee engagement.
Training and Development
Whether your coworkers have been at your company for months or multiple years, it is important to offer training and development opportunities for your team. Training can come in several different forms, but almost always requires team engagement in some capacity. Consider surveying the team on work-related topics they would like to learn more about or which skills they may like to further develop. Not only will you be giving your employees an opportunity to break up their day, you’ll also be providing your employees with useful skills for the future.
In conclusion, managers and organizations can benefit by making a conscious effort to inspire and motivate their team. By doing so, they can increase worker satisfaction, escalate business results and strengthen team productivity.
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Are you part of an engaged and motivated work environment? If you’re looking for a new workplace, check out the job opportunities on STEMHUNTER!
After the COVID-19 pandemic brought us social distancing regulations and company travel restrictions, virtual meetings and calls became the norm. When it’s your turn to host the meeting, you want to be prepared, just as you would be if the meeting were face to face. Consider these tips for effectively leading virtual meetings, so they run smoothly and are productive.
1. Create a Plan
One of the first things you should do when scheduling a meeting is collaborate with your team regarding the meeting content. Create a plan indicating who is responsible for putting together necessary materials including slides and reports. Discuss any deadlines and give yourself some extra time to practice with the finalized meeting materials. Your team may also want to consider what the meeting follow-up will look like and what will be provided to attendees. Thinking of all these aspects ahead of time will help your team be prepared and will ensure that you are all on the same page.
2. Test Your Technology
Before the meeting, make sure that you are familiar with the video platform and its features. Not only will this help with your execution during the real meeting, it’ll also help you quickly troubleshoot any issues that your meeting attendees may have during the meeting. You may want to consider items like dial-in options, screen sharing abilities and hand-raising features. This information should be provided to meeting attendees ahead of time so that they are prepared when it’s time for the event.
3. Assign a Facilitator
One of the challenges of virtual meetings is the difficulty for collaborative discussions to take place. Attendees are often muted during presentations to prevent background noise and may not feel comfortable speaking up while someone else is talking. Assigning a facilitator to help spark discussions and move the meeting along will help your meeting be more effective overall. The facilitator can also help introduce the presenters, share their screen to feature important documents and field questions as needed.
4. Stick to Meeting Basics
Despite that there are distinct differences between online and in-person meetings, you’ll want to follow conventional meeting practices throughout your virtual meeting. Utilize an agenda, provide meeting materials to attendees and take breaks if necessary. Consider a meeting ice breaker to start off the virtual meeting and get people comfortable using the software. You’ll also want to be mindful of the other attendees time by minimizing the presentation portion of the meeting and maximizing times for collaboration and discussion.
5. Establish a Structure
Establishing the meeting structure can also help with increased participation and engagement. Consider how people can interject and ask questions. Will they use a hand-raising feature on the video software or enter their questions into the chat? By setting the expectations of participants, it makes it clear how they can offer their opinions and contribute to the meeting.
6. Get Others Involved
As previously mentioned, it’s easy for individuals to remain quiet during a virtual meeting. To increase collaboration and keep everyone engaged, it is a good idea to ask questions to the group or to specific individuals throughout the video call. You may also want to start the meeting by addressing everyone individually who is on the call, giving time for small talk before getting into the meeting topics. Again, this is a good item for the facilitator to monitor throughout the meeting. The more interactive you make the virtual meeting, the more attendees will feel engaged and connected to each other.
7. Capture Feedback From Everyone
Following the meeting, it’s a good idea to capture feedback from everyone involved, including attendees and individuals on your team. You may want to consider sending out a brief survey or open ended questions about the virtual meeting to gather insights into what went well and what could’ve been better. A retrospective meeting with your team can also provide valuable information and discussions. Capturing all of this information now can help you run your next virtual meeting more effectively in the future.
8. Follow-Up
Depending on the intention of your meeting, you may want to follow up with meeting attendees. This could include meeting notes, next step information, and/or meeting materials such as a recording or presentation slides. Creating and executing a follow up plan can make your meeting effective beyond just the meeting content.
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