James Felton Keith is CEO at Inclusion Score Inc. and Labor Economist at Keith Institute. His latest book is #DataIsLabor.
Last year, during a certification class I taught on the International Standard on diversity and inclusion (ISO-30415), one of my students was nearing graduation and finishing up an internship. During her exit interview with the organization, the manager had glowing praise for her work and even offered her a full-time position. However, in the same breath, he made a jaw-dropping comment: “You were so good that if you were a man, we would’ve offered you double.”
This is not only a blatantly illegal “compliment” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but also a textbook example of workplace discrimination. In my role as chair of the certifying body for the ISO-30415 standard, I hear stories like this every day—astonishing, considering it’s now 2025. It’s critical that corporations make culture change a top priority.
Some people have told me they don’t believe we can achieve the level of civility and etiquette we’re striving for. But I say we absolutely can. I know, not just from research or statistics, but from personal experience with something we all do in one way or another: code-switching. That’s right: If people can code-switch outside of work—meaning they adapt the way they speak and behave depending on who they’re with—they can learn to be more respectful inside it, too.
All I’m asking is that everyone use basic professionalism instead of getting overly comfortable at the office. For instance, don’t “compliment” a woman’s shoes by alluding to their sex appeal—yes, that’s really happened. And don’t pat your colleagues on the behind unless you’re literally playing a sport (and even then, maybe not). Keep in mind that “work family” doesn’t mean treating your colleagues the same way you treat your relatives. Use common sense, use your manners and remember: Civility and respect aren’t optional. They’re the foundation of a healthy, equitable workplace.
However, to truly foster an equal workplace, you also have to consider other critical elements, including how you’ll ensure fairness in opportunities and compensation.
A Setback In Gender Wage Equity
For the first time in 20 years, data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicated that the gender wage gap widened. In 2023, women, on average, earned about 83 cents for every dollar men earned, down from 84 cents in 2022. This was a reversal of the slow but steady progress toward pay equity that businesses, policymakers and advocates had been achieving.
While the causes of the widened gap are multifaceted—ranging from shifts in industry demands to socioeconomic disruptions—one clear takeaway is that more robust efforts are needed at the organizational level to ensure fair pay and advancement opportunities for all employees.
Suggestions For Business Leaders
Audit and analyze compensation practices. Regularly review salary and bonus structures to identify disparities among employees with comparable roles and responsibilities. For raises and promotions, ensure you’re using standardized benchmarks and transparent criteria.
Implement pay transparency policies. Consider sharing salary ranges in job postings to help set clear expectations and reduce negotiation biases. I also recommend offering open forums or platforms where employees feel comfortable discussing compensation concerns without fear of retaliation.
Establish clear advancement pathways. Define objective, measurable criteria for promotions to reduce unconscious bias in leadership decisions, and provide mentorship and leadership development programs specifically aimed at supporting women and other underrepresented groups.
Prioritize inclusive recruitment and retention. Actively seek out diverse talent pools to broaden your candidate pipeline. Cultivating inclusive work environments is critical as well. This requires robust onboarding, mentorship and establishing employee resource groups that encourage growth and community.
Train managers to recognize unconscious bias. Offer regular workshops that help leaders and team members spot and reduce biases in everyday decision-making. Then, create formal processes for performance reviews to minimize reliance on subjective assessments.
Foster workplace flexibility and support. Provide options such as remote work, flexible schedules and child/elder care assistance to help employees balance professional and personal responsibilities. Reviewing leave policies—including maternity, paternity and family care—is an essential step as well to ensure they do not disproportionately impact career progression for women.
Set and track diversity, equity and inclusion metrics. Publicly state your company’s DEI goals, such as targets for hiring, retention and pay equity, and continually review your progress on those metrics. This holds leadership accountable for meaningful outcomes.
Moving Forward
The widening of the gender wage gap serves as an important wake-up call. Achieving equitable compensation and advancement for women is not only a moral and social imperative; it also influences overall organizational performance, employee morale and brand reputation. By implementing transparent, data-driven policies and fostering an inclusive culture, business leaders can reverse the setback in wage equity and ensure fair pay for all employees.
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