ChatGPT Social Change Series #1 - Closing the Gender Pay Gap
Licensed by Aaron Hurst from Shutterstock

ChatGPT Social Change Series #1 - Closing the Gender Pay Gap

A decade ago I published my research on the only five levers ever successfully used to proactively create social change in society in the Stanford Social Innovation Review. This was further developed in the Purpose Economy. I have trained ChatGPT to use these five strategies to generate strategies to address the biggest challenges in society today.

I begin with the gender pay gap. There is currently a 17% gender pay gap and the 2022 Global Gender Pay Gap Report predicts it will take another 132 years to close it. That is clearly way too long. So what does ChatGPT suggest we do to address this challenge?

----------

Closing the gender income gap is a complex issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. Aaron Hurst's 5 levers of social innovation provide a framework for understanding and addressing the issue. By implementing a combination of these levers, it is possible to create meaningful change and close the gender income gap.

First, changing public perception is crucial for addressing the issue. The "Lean In" movement, started by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, aimed to change public perception around women in leadership roles through education and awareness campaigns. This lever addresses societal attitudes and beliefs that may be holding women back in the workforce.

Here are some additional examples of ways to achieve the first lever of changing public perception to change attitudes, knowledge, motivation in order to close the gender income gap:

  1. Media campaigns: Creating media campaigns that highlight successful women in leadership roles and dispel stereotypes can help change public perception and attitudes towards women in the workforce.
  2. Education: Implementing education and training programs for both men and women on topics such as unconscious bias, gender diversity, and inclusion can help change knowledge and motivation towards closing the gender income gap.
  3. Role models: Highlighting successful women in various industries and providing access to mentorship and sponsorship programs can help change attitudes and motivation by providing role models for women to look up to.
  4. Corporate Social Responsibility: Some companies include closing the gender pay gap as part of their CSR, this can change public perception on the issue and make people more aware of it.
  5. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Employee resource groups such as Women's Employee Resource Groups (WERGs) can provide support and resources for women in the workforce and help change attitudes and motivation within the company.
  6. Community outreach: Partnering with local organizations and community groups to raise awareness of the gender pay gap and provide resources and support for women can help change public perception and attitudes towards the issue.
  7. Advocacy: Joining or supporting advocacy groups that focus on gender equality and closing the gender pay gap can help raise awareness and change public perception on the issue.

By implementing a combination of these strategies, it is possible to change public perception and attitudes towards the gender income gap. This can help create a more inclusive and equitable workforce, where women are valued and compensated on equal footing with men.

Second, disruptive technology can create new possibilities for women to participate in the workforce. The rise of telecommuting and remote work options, made possible by technology like video conferencing and cloud-based collaboration tools, has made it easier for women to balance their work and family responsibilities. Additionally, new technologies like analytics and data visualization tools can enable companies to measure and close their gender pay gaps.

Here are some additional examples of ways to achieve the second lever of disruptive technology that creates new possibilities in order to close the gender income gap:

  1. Virtual and augmented reality tools: Virtual and augmented reality tools can enable remote team collaboration and virtual training, which can make it easier for women to participate in the workforce, particularly if they have caregiving responsibilities.
  2. Automation and AI: Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) can help reduce bias in recruitment and performance evaluations, making it easier for women to enter and advance in male-dominated fields.
  3. Online platforms and marketplaces: Platforms and marketplaces that connect women entrepreneurs and freelancers with clients and investors can create new opportunities for women to start and grow their own businesses, leading to increased income potential.
  4. Mobile apps and online tools: Mobile apps and online tools that help women manage and track their finances, such as budgeting and savings apps, can help women gain control over their finances and increase their earning potential.
  5. Blockchain technology: Blockchain technology can enable secure and transparent tracking of transactions, including wages and benefits. This can help to ensure that women are paid fairly and that pay gaps are made transparent.
  6. Social media: Social media can be a powerful tool for women to showcase their skills and experiences, connect with potential employers, and build their personal brand. This can help increase their visibility and access to job opportunities.

By leveraging disruptive technology, it is possible to create new possibilities for women to participate in the workforce, increase their earning potential and close the gender income gap. Additionally, technology can also be used to help companies measure and close their own gender pay gaps.

Third, changing public and organizational policy is also important. The introduction of policies such as paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements in some countries, such as Sweden, has helped support women in balancing their work and family responsibilities. Additionally, the introduction of equal pay laws in some countries, such as the United Kingdom, which requires companies to disclose their gender pay gap, holds companies accountable for closing the gap.

Here are some examples of ways to achieve the third lever of changing public and organizational policy in order to close the gender income gap:

  1. Gender pay gap reporting: Governments can require companies to publicly disclose their gender pay gap data, which can help increase transparency and accountability. This can also help to identify companies and industries with large pay gaps, which can then be targeted for policy interventions.
  2. Gender quotas: Governments and organizations can implement gender quotas for leadership positions and boards of directors, which can help to increase the representation of women in leadership roles.
  3. Parental leave: Governments and organizations can implement policies that provide for paid parental leave, which can help women to take time off to care for children without risking their job or income.
  4. Flexible working hours: Governments and organizations can implement policies that allow for flexible working hours, such as part-time work, telecommuting, and job-sharing, which can help women to balance work and caregiving responsibilities.
  5. Childcare: Governments and organizations can invest in affordable, high-quality childcare, which can help to make it easier for women to participate in the workforce.
  6. Affirmative Action: Governments and organizations can implement affirmative action policies which can help to level the playing field for women and other underrepresented groups in the workforce.
  7. Minimum wage: Governments can increase the minimum wage to enable low-income women to have a fair wage and reduce the gender pay gap.

By implementing these policies, it is possible to create a more inclusive and equitable workforce, where women have the same opportunities as men to participate in the workforce, advance in their careers, and earn a fair wage.

Fourth, highlighting bright spots is a way to inspire and show what is possible. The "100 Best Companies for Working Mothers" list, compiled by Working Mother magazine, highlights companies that have closed their gender pay gaps and created supportive work environments for mothers. This lever can provide a roadmap for others to follow.

Here are some examples of ways of highlighting "bright spots" that demonstrate what is possible in order to close the gender income gap:

  1. Success stories: Highlighting the success stories of women who have closed the gender pay gap within their own organizations or industries can serve as inspiration and a guide for others to follow.
  2. Best practices: Sharing best practices and strategies that have been effective in closing the gender pay gap can help organizations and individuals understand what works and what doesn't.
  3. Role models: Promoting and amplifying the voices of women role models in leadership positions, in different fields and industries, can inspire and motivate others to pursue similar paths.
  4. Awards and recognition: Recognizing and rewarding organizations and individuals who have made significant progress in closing the gender pay gap can create incentives for others to do the same.
  5. Research and data: Publishing research and data on the gender pay gap and the factors that contribute to it can help to raise awareness and create a sense of urgency around the issue.
  6. Campaigns and advocacy: Launching campaigns and advocacy efforts to raise awareness about the gender pay gap and the need for action can help to mobilize individuals, organizations, and governments to take action.

By highlighting bright spots and examples of success, it is possible to demonstrate that closing the gender pay gap is possible, and to inspire and motivate others to take action. This can create a sense of momentum and help to drive progress towards closing the gender income gap.

Finally, breakthrough research can help deepen our understanding of the underlying causes of the gender pay gap and inform the development of solutions. Studies on unconscious bias, conducted by researchers such as Mahzarin Banaji and Anthony Greenwald, have helped to deepen our understanding of the underlying causes of the gender pay gap and inform the development of solutions to address it.

Here are some examples of ways to use breakthrough research that changes our understanding of the gender income gap:

  1. Longitudinal studies: Conducting longitudinal studies that track the gender pay gap over time can help to identify the factors that contribute to the gap and understand how it changes over time.
  2. Micro-level research: Examining the gender pay gap at the individual level can help to identify the specific barriers and challenges that women face in the workplace, and understand how these factors contribute to the gap.
  3. Intersectionality: Examining the gender pay gap for women of different races, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and other intersecting identities can help to understand how these factors contribute to the gap and identify specific issues that need to be addressed.
  4. Experimental research: Conducting randomized controlled trials to test interventions and policies that aim to close the gender pay gap can help to understand what works and what doesn't.
  5. Big data analysis: Using big data and machine learning techniques to analyze large datasets can help to identify patterns and trends in the gender pay gap that might not be visible in traditional research methods.
  6. International comparative research: Examining the gender pay gap in different countries and cultures can help to understand how cultural and societal factors contribute to the gap and identify best practices from other countries.

By conducting rigorous and comprehensive research, it is possible to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the gender pay gap and identify evidence-based solutions for closing it. This research can inform policy and practice, and help to drive progress towards closing the gender income gap.

By implementing a combination of these levers, it is possible to create meaningful change and close the gender income gap. This can be achieved by changing public perception, using disruptive technology, changing public and organizational policy, highlighting bright spots, and breakthrough research.

----------

What is your critique of ChatGPT's strategy to address the gender pay gap?

Do you have a social issue you want me to use ChatGPT and the fiver levers to address, let me know and I can add it to the series.

Puja Sangar

Communications | Content | Marketing

1y

ChatGPT’s summary offers a laundry list of recommendations. In that sense it’s useful. But it offers no prioritization. So where do you begin? It misses sharing the evidence of what works, that for example, mandating companies to disclose their gender pay gap reduced Denmark’s in half. It seems to be working slower in the UK but has already reduced the pay gap across jobs. So proud that CA passed this legislation and it’s in effect as of last month. Bright spot!

Like
Reply
Ann Ratcliff

Connecting Employees to their Futures

1y

Aaron, as always I so appreciate your work, research and thought leadership. Yet I kind of agree with Dani Johnson. I'm also suspicious of a world where we allow tech (ChatGPT) to solve our challenges, as I would imagine all the solutions are coming from today's data, not tomorrow's thinking. My is we can find/protect a way to have people (like yourself and all of us) address our challenges.

Stacia Sherman Garr

HR Industry Analyst. I help Fortune 500 leaders understand and act on what's happening today and what's coming in the near future.

1y

Dani Johnson said much of what I'd say as a critique of the actual suggestions. I'm going to focus on ChatGPT itself (based on what I saw here and in numerous other examples I've seen of folks using it in our space). 1) ChatGPT is really good as a gut check of common understanding. As I look at what was produced, it seems like a pretty comprehensive list of known approaches to the challenge. So if I were writing a research report and had a section on "the current state", I'd likely use ChatGPT to double-check my own knowledge and perhaps add to it. 2) There's no opinion / critical thinking about the common understanding. ChatGPT offers up suggestions and what others have said, but it doesn't have the ability to identify what is wrong (such as Dani's suggestion that we shouldn't be fixing women but rather the system) or how to approach fixing it. It just synthesizes what has already been said. (more in my second comment -- exceeded LinkedIn's allowance on characters)

Dani Johnson

Co-founder & Principal Analyst @ RedThread Research | Organizational Learning

1y

Honestly? I find many of the suggestions condescending and paternalistic. They make the assumption that the system in place is right - and women just need to learn how to work it better (Get more awards! Highlight women who have closed the pay gap! Get women an app!) Many women make less than men that do the same job. That is a travesty and should be fixed. But let's not assume we do it by fixing the women. From a ChatGPT perspective, love that you're trying it Aaron Hurst. It appears that it is only as unbiased as the information it has access to.

Allan Ryan -∆

Helping leaders and teams start right, solve problems better and build new capabilities through collaborative tools and innovative strategies.

1y

Aaron Hurst Brilliant use of ChatGPT. How about you add soft skills to your series? In Australia, the lack of soft skills has been highlighted as a significant economic issue. (NSW is the largest state in Australia - New South Wales.)

  • No alternative text description for this image

To view or add a comment, sign in

Insights from the community

Others also viewed

Explore topics