As the number of women working in the healthcare industry increases, so does our awareness of gender salary inequality issues. These issues speak to a core problem that organizations must address to ensure an equitable and balanced working environment. If your organization is interested in promoting gender equity, consider the results of an Association of American Medical Colleges analysis on gender salary equality and the strategies medical communities across America are employing to address the issue.

In the AAMC’s, 2019 Promising Practices for Understanding and Addressing Salary Equity at U.S. Medical Schools, an analysis of data obtained from nearly a dozen medical schools nationwide regarding what steps they were taking to create gender-salary equity was evaluated. This evaluation revealed some valuable insight into steps you can take to help create gender salary equality in your organization.

• Institute Unbiased Training in the Workplace- Research results suggest that organizations can take an important first step towards creating gender equality in the workplace by making unconscious bias training mandatory. This training can be especially beneficial for HR personnel and those closest to the hiring process and promote a more balanced approach to employee compensation practices.
• Standardize the Hiring and Evaluation Process- Gender salary equality can be increased when all candidates are judged fairly on standardized criteria. Whether it be during the selection, hiring process or annual reviews, it is essential to evaluate candidates based on established processes and lines of inquiry. All those involved with executing these processes within an organization should be well-versed in these practices and implementing them on a consistent basis.
• Utilize a Blind Review- Consider utilizing a de-identified resume review process to increase impartiality and inclusion when evaluating candidates.
• Ensure Fair Distribution of Duties and Resources- To help ensure equitable compensation, be sure that both resources and assigned duties are distributed in an equitable manner. Evaluate who receives what, their duties assumed, and what level of compensation they receive for their efforts.
• Standardize Advancement Criteria- Over time, salary deficits often widen for women as more are left behind by lagging career advancement. To eliminate this source of inequity, consider evaluating and standardizing the criteria you use when evaluating personnel for advancement. Assess what benchmarks and standards are being appraised, as well as what barriers there may be to advancement.
• Promote Mentorships- Mentorships help foster close relationships that provide invaluable guidance to younger professionals. These contacts can impart important career-related knowledge to their mentees while also promoting open dialogues about advancement, compensation, and practice issues.
• Alternative Benefits – Consider offering expanded childcare benefits, part-time employment options, and flexible scheduling, to assist your female personnel. These options can help personnel stay on the job while addressing their dependent care needs.