Gender Pay Gap & Sexual Harassment Start Early

Gender Pay Gap Starts Early

Did you know teenage girls earn, on average, $3 per hour less than teenage boys in their summer jobs?

At first, I wondered if that number could be explained by the kinds of work teens often take on. For instance, many girls do informal caregiving work — like babysitting — which society has historically undervalued. But surprisingly, the data shows that the gender pay gap is even wider in those caregiving jobs: a staggering $6.31 per hour.

In other words, pay inequity doesn’t just start when we enter the workforce as adults — it starts long before that. Even among our kids, inequitable patterns are already taking root.

This is a wake-up call to take a closer look at our hiring and compensation practices. Where might unconscious bias be creeping in? What systems or structures can we build to ensure fair and transparent pay practices?

For organizations looking to make real change, Harvard’s Dr. Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi offer a wealth of research-backed, practical strategies for doing just that in their new book, "Make Work Fair".

Workplace Harassment: Early and Unequal Impact

The same study revealed another troubling statistic:

• 13% of girls reported being sexually harassed or assaulted at work (compared to 11% of boys).

• The figure increases to 19% for older girls.

• And for girls from families earning less than $40,000 per year, it rises to 23%.

While traditional workplace harassment training is often criticized for being ineffective, there are evidence-based ways to make it more meaningful and impactful:

1. Is training being consistently provided to everyone?

2. Does it address specific risks in your workplace?

3. Have you identified and discussed dominant cultural privileges?

4. Does it include bystander intervention strategies?

5. Does it include education on the “entitlements” underlying harmful behaviour?

6. Does it reduce fear of retaliation by emphasizing restoration as a valid, potential response?

A Call for Hope and Action

Tomorrow is International Day of the Girl Child — a reminder that our efforts toward gender equity need to start early and extend everywhere. The good news? Awareness is growing, and so is our ability to create workplaces that are fair, safe, and empowering for the next generation.

Let’s keep the momentum going toward a world of equal opportunity for our daughters.

📖 Read the full report from Girl Guides of Canada here:👉 Girls on the Job: Realities in Canada