Gail Evans spent years as an executive at CNN. Smart, accomplished, and very much a pioneer.
One day, after a promotion, a male colleague casually mentioned his car allowance - and Gail realized everyone else at her level had been receiving this extra money for YEARS.
This isn’t about Gail though, it’s about all of us.
Here's what I want you to know: the gender wage gap, which is currently about 20%, is actually dwarfed by gaps in other areas.
- Stock options: men receive an average of $105K vs. $26K for women - an 80% gap (WSJ)
- Performance bonuses: men receive 72% more (Robert Walters)
- Equity Grants: 15-30% gap (Klein, et al)
The good news: this is all negotiable, and you don't have to tackle it all at once. The fact that you now know means you’re already ahead of the game. Here are three areas beyond base salary to consider negotiating:
1. Bonuses and Commission Structure
Most people know sign-on bonuses exist for new jobs, but fewer think to negotiate performance bonuses, retention bonuses or commission structure in their current role. If you find yourself in a situation where that would make sense, try:
"I'd like to discuss adding a performance bonus tied to [specific metric]. Would you be open to that?"
"Given the recent changes, I'll be taking on [X additional responsibility]. I know salary is off the table right now, but I wondered if we could discuss a retention bonus?"
“Since I took on [new accounts/expanded territory/new product line], my scope has grown significantly. I'd like to revisit my commission structure so it reflects what I'm delivering on."
2. Equity (in all forms)
Stock options, RSUs, PSUs, profit-sharing and straight equity are among the most underutilized negotiation levers. Yes, they can be more complex (they vary heavily company to company), but they can quietly add up in the background to some serious cash and are worth becoming well-versed in. If you want to explore this, you can ask:
"Is there equity associated with this role? What does that typically look like at this level?"
"I'd love to discuss whether there's flexibility on the RSUs – I believe in this company and I want to have skin in the game."
3. Anything that accelerates your promotion
Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin has shown promotions are far more valuable to lifetime earnings than annual raises. It also completely reframes the conversation. You're asking to be set up for success - which is hard to say no to! Think about things like:
- A larger mandate with more headcount
- A high-profile project with executive visibility
- An accelerated leadership development program
Try: "One of my goals this year is to position myself for [next level]. What opportunities would help me demonstrate I'm ready?"
The car allowance Gail didn't know about? That won’t be you.
Now you know what’s behind the curtain, and when you have an opportunity to negotiate, you can decide what you want to go after!
Sincerely,
