Today, on Equal Pay Day, the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis (WFSTL) has released a report on the results from its second annual Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard initiative, which evaluates employment practices of organizations in the St. Louis region. The “Scorecard” is the area’s only initiative incentivizing and educating employers to cultivate a gender diverse workforce. This year, WFSTL is recognizing 13 St. Louis employers that demonstrated excellence in four areas of workplace gender equity – leadership, compensation, flexible work policies, and recruitment and retention.
A recent study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) found the weekly gender wage gap widened in 2018, with men earning $184 more per week than women. In addition, the IWPR reported that women in Missouri who work full time earn an average of 80 cents for every dollar earned by a male. This disparity is more pronounced for African-American and Latina women. If current trends continue, Missouri women will not see equal pay until the year 2066.
The Women in the Workplace Scorecard recognizes 13 small, medium and large companies in the St. Louis region who showed a strong commitment to women in the workplace through measurable outcomes, key policies and best practices, including demonstrating results with women in a minimum of 25 percent of top leadership roles; a minimum of 25 percent of women in the top 10 percent of the most highly compensated employees; a starting wage higher than the Missouri minimum wage; and family-friendly flexible work policies and recruitment and retention programs targeted at advancing women.
The 2018 Honorees include:
Small Organizations (less than 50 employees)
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse – St. Louis Area (NCADA)
Tueth, Keeney, Cooper, Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C.
Safe Connections
Medium Organizations (50-499 employees)
Brown Smith Wallace
HireLevel
Missouri Foundation for Health
Simon Law Firm, P.C.
Wyman Center
Large Organizations (500 or more employees)
Enterprise Bank & Trust
MTM, Inc.
Stinson Leonard Street, LLP
Washington University in St. Louis
Webster University
In addition to the discrepancy in gender compensation in Missouri, unemployment rates in the St. Louis region are at the lowest point in a decade, and in order to recruit and retain top talent, employers must make careers sustainable for working families. By recognizing employers who demonstrate a strong commitment to women in the workplace, the report encourages organizations to improve their policies and practices for female employees while also researching and promoting best practices to recruit, retain and advance women.
Unlike most “Best Places to Work” reports that rely on employee opinion surveys, the Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard looked at objective criteria and outcomes. Through a blind data review process by a seven-person panel, the Scorecard evaluates company employment practices and their impact on gender diversity. Designated organizational representatives were asked to answer specific questions based on existing policies, practices or employee data.
Eighty-two percent of participants reported the initiative increased their understanding of policies and best practices to recruit and retain women in the workplace, and 82 percent reported they now plan to advocate for or implement one new policy or best practice to recruit and/or retain female workers.
For access to the full report click here.
Thanks to the Union Pacific Railroad Foundation, Roblee Foundation, Commerce Bank and the Boeing Employee Community Fund for supporting this initiative.