Strong Pay Equity Principles Could Help You Avoid Your Own Google Memo Nightmare

By now, you’ve almost certainly heard about or read the infamous memo written by a (now former) Google employee voicing his opinions on the efficacy of the company’s diversity initiatives and the cause of the gender pay gap. Regardless of whether you agree with his perspective on the gender pay gap, or how Google handled the aftermath, this viral memo brings the topics of unconscious bias, pay equity, and diversity to the forefront of our national conversation about the workplace.

Unconscious bias refers to the feelings or thoughts we have towards other people, derived from stereotypes and prejudices, which arise without awareness or intent. If unconscious bias influences compensation decisions, what can employers do to work toward pay equity? One solution is to support pay transparency.