KEY POINTS:
A Statistics New Zealand report claims New Zealand women are often substantially underpaid compared with their male counterparts. The conclusion by the human resources industry is that women do not have men's aggressive negotiating skills.
So how then can women improve their lot in the workplace?
"Women like
to be pursued at love and work," says Kim Smith, divisional director at Robert Half recruitment.
"But that is rather an old-fashioned attitude which doesn't get them very far in today's work environment."
Another area where women shoot themselves in the foot is in talking about wanting more flexibility, they will often volunteer to take lower pay.
In many cases, these women will work extremely hard to get the job done and often end up working the same hours as their male counterparts who are earning more, says Smith. She works part time and says it has not had a detrimental effect on her salary.
Helping women succeed in the workplace is one of Galia BarHava-Monteith's pet subjects. The businesswoman, who recently set up www.professionelle.co.nz to support women in their careers, has a number of tips for women who feel they should be getting a better deal at work.
The first rule is to keep emotions out of the equation when negotiating a pay rise. When going for a new job, women should research the market rates for the role that they are going for.
"Talk to recruiters, talk to HR professionals and look at published statistics from Statistics New Zealand or recruitment companies on salary ranges in your profession," BarHava-Monteith says.
Then you should do a tough assessment of your skills.
"It can be tough for people to do but, if you are professional about it, it should not be hard to assess yourself about how good you are and how many candidates are out there for your role.
"Be honest, don't be overly modest," advises BarHava-Monteith.
Once you have been through this, think about the total remuneration package, not just the money.
"What is important to you? Extra leave to cover in case the children get sick or more performance pay?
"Negotiate this up front," she says.
"Be courteous when negotiating but stand your ground. You are not going to be looked at as overly bossy if you are courteous.
"You have done your research. Make your position clear and don't be apologetic," says BarHava-Monteith, who was formerly ethics manager for dairy giant Fonterra.
Many women think they have to ask for part-time on a lower salary when applying for positions because they want flexibility, but there is no reason why they can't be paid fulltime if they are still achieving the goals.
"If you get very specific Key Performance Indicators [KPIs] you can still have flexibility and work fulltime."
BarHava-Monteith says to beware of being offered a big promotion that relies on status rather than a decent salary to make it attractive.
"I have come across some very successful women who are offered a very big step up and more often they are not paid a lot more. Make sure you schedule a pay review, preferably in the first six months, and be very clear about KPIs," she says.
Some professions seem to have a more egalitarian attitude than others.
Steve Gillingwater, divisional manager of IT for recruitment consultant, Robert Walters says: "We don't care what sex you are, we are interested in your skill set.
"My suggestion to people would be to exude confidence and do their homework first."
People should use their recruitment agency to help them research the market.
Women can lack confidence when they re-enter the workplace after an absence due to having children or for some other reason.
But before they start going for interviews, says Gillingwater, they should first find out their market value given their years of experience, and they may find their market value is so high they can call the shots.
