Compensation

 

1. Do you negotiate on behalf of women?

 

Typically no, we support behind the scenes. This includes one-on-one prep sessions, contract review and commentary, writing negotiation scripts or emails, support in determining what compensation & benefits to ask for, valuing equity compensation, financial modeling of compensation, role-playing negotiations, and more. However, if you are looking for direct negotiation support, please reach out and we would be happy to discuss.

 

2. Do you review equity compensation structures?

 

Yes, one of our Co-Founders Jillian has spent her career in equity compensation so she loves supporting women in better understanding and negotiating their equity. We believe a lack of negotiating equity is contributing to the gender pay gap – a study from the Rutgers Institute found that male employees held an average of $104,902 in company shares, whereas women only held an average of $26,361.

 

We support with stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), and performance stock units (PSUs), and also more complex structures such as share appreciation rights or venture capital carry programs. We create simple spreadsheets that allow you to evaluate your equity real-time. Additionally, we offer equity compensation workshops for organizations or groups hoping to better understand their equity. Lastly, see here for articles we’ve written that help explain the different equity compensation structures.

 

3. Why is negotiation so important?

 

Negotiation is so important because unfortunately, if you don’t ask for something you’re not likely going to receive it. We believe that women need to start feeling comfortable asking for the compensation and benefits they deserve, so we can start to close the gender pay gap that has held so steady over the last fifteen years. We want to change the narrative that negotiating has to be a negative or aggressive experience – you can clearly and confidently ask for more money, while still maintaining a positive relationship with your manager or hiring manager.

 

4. What is the gender pay gap?

 

In general, the gender pay gap is the difference in earnings between women and men. While there are different ways to calculate it, and slightly different numbers put out by different organizations, in Canada and the US the gender pay gap is approximately 84%. This means that for every dollar a man earns, his female counterpart earns 84 cents. This gap widens when accounting for minority groups within women, including women of color and women with disabilities. Check out OECD’s data here to see the gender pay gap in your country.

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5. What levels of women do you work with?

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We work with all women - from junior roles to senior executive. Jillian, our Co-Founder, has deep experience in executive compensation so she can provide detailed analysis and support, similar to what is provided to a Board of Directors when making executive compensation decisions. However, we also love to provide 1:1 support to women negotiating their compensation for their first time, women getting their first big promotion, women looking to better understand their equity compensation, and the list goes on. Women at any working age can find huge benefit and support from our services!

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Policy

 

1. What is EDI?

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Equity: policy and structure to provide equal opportunity to all employees.

 

Note: Equality means providing the same support to all staff without recognizing existing privileges or barriers that may exist. Equity means providing appropriate and varying support to all staff to achieve equality

 

Diversity: A variety of identities, backgrounds, and perspectives that foster a more creative and innovative environment. 

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Inclusion: A welcoming environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

 

2. How do I measure EDI success?

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Setting clear and measurable targets is critical to success. At The Thoughtful Co, we advise on defining targets that suit your industry, region, and size, but are also specifically tailored to your company company culture and strategy. Read our article here that outlines three crucial components to be tracking: recruitment, retention, and career development/promotions.

 

3. What is an ERG?

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An ERG is a group of individuals in the workplace, typically a minority group, who join together for mutual support in their shared experiences. They focus on enhancing employee experience, professional development, and can even influence global or company policy – all of which contribute to improvement in equity and belonging in the workplace. There are two primary types of ERGs. They offer distinct and complimentary value and it’s preferable to include both in your organization: advocacy groups, and support groups. Learn more here.

 

4. Why is EDI important to company success?

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Diversity is the kryptonite of groupthink. Companies with diversity in leadership are more creative, innovative, and responsive in the business growth and development. The Westcoast Women in Engineering Science & Technology’s book “Gender Diversity in STEM” reported that Fortune 500 companies in the top quartile of gender diversity had a 16% higher return on sales and a 26% increase in return on capital than the bottom 75%. They also found that companies with just 3 female board members have an 84% higher return on sales and a 60% higher return on capital investment than companies with less. Beyond the financial and strategic impact, diversity creates a sense of community and belonging for all within the workplace.