How can you ensure diversity and inclusion during salary negotiations?

1 1. Do your research

Before you start negotiating salaries, you need to have a clear idea of the market value of the skills, roles, and responsibilities you are looking for. You can use online tools, industry reports, and peer networks to gather data on the salary ranges and benefits for similar positions in your sector and location. This will help you set realistic and competitive expectations, as well as avoid underpaying or overpaying anyone based on arbitrary or subjective criteria.

2 2. Establish a salary structure

Having a salary structure is a key way to ensure consistency and transparency in your salary negotiations. A salary structure is a system that defines the salary levels and ranges for different positions and levels within your organization, based on objective factors such as skills, experience, education, performance, and market value. A salary structure can help you avoid pay gaps, reduce bias, and communicate clearly with candidates and employees about how their pay is determined and how they can progress.

3 3. Communicate your salary philosophy

Another way to foster trust and inclusion in your salary negotiations is to communicate your salary philosophy to your candidates and employees. Your salary philosophy is a statement that explains the principles and goals behind your compensation strategy, such as how you reward performance, how you align pay with your mission and values, how you balance internal equity and external competitiveness, and how you address pay disparities and adjustments. By sharing your salary philosophy, you can show your commitment to fairness, openness, and diversity in your pay practices.

4 4. Train your negotiators

The people who conduct your salary negotiations, such as hiring managers, recruiters, or HR professionals, need to be trained on how to negotiate effectively and ethically. They need to be aware of the potential biases and stereotypes that can affect their judgments and decisions, such as anchoring, framing, halo effect, or confirmation bias. They also need to be familiar with the legal and ethical implications of asking or disclosing salary history, making lowball or highball offers, or making assumptions based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other factors. By providing them with the skills and tools to negotiate fairly and respectfully, you can reduce the risk of discrimination and dissatisfaction.

5 5. Monitor and evaluate your outcomes

Finally, you need to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of your salary negotiations, both at the individual and the aggregate level. You need to track the data on the salaries and benefits offered and accepted by your candidates and employees, as well as their feedback and satisfaction levels. You also need to analyze the data for any patterns or trends that may indicate pay gaps, disparities, or anomalies based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, or other factors. By doing so, you can identify and address any issues or opportunities for improvement in your salary negotiation process.