Gender equality in the tech field has been a hot topic in recent years. The industry as a whole has been trying to recruit more women, but it hasn't always been an easy battle, especially with the stereotypes that are inherent within field. In addition, there's also the issue that men with the same skills receive more pay in technology than women.
Reddit CEO Ellen Pao is trying to change that, although the manner in which she's doing it is sure to cause controversy. In a recent interview, Pao stated that Reddit will no longer allow salary negotiations with potential employees. Her reasoning is two-fold: First, men typically negotiate harder than women do, resulting in higher salaries. Second, when women do attempt to negotiate, they are frequently seen as "pushy," which hurts, not only their reputations but, also can lead to not landing the job. Instead, Reddit promises to make what they consider a fair offer, and the candidate will need to decide whether to accept or decline.
While there may be some merit to this approach, it seems to be a slippery slope that could negatively impact Reddit's ability to hire top-notch talent if employees think that the company may be offering lower compensation. On the other hand, it may increase applications because many people don't like to haggle.
Source: WSJ via San Francisco CBS
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