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2 years in, and she hasn't gotten a raise. This open letter will tell you why.

An open letter to managers of women everywhere.

Dear manager,

We need to talk about her. You probably know who. That analyst, designer, writer, engineer who has been at the organization for just a year or two and is already doing the work of someone several levels above her current pay band.

Or maybe she’s not even on your radar because she’s the dependable one who always delivers on time and under budget without any drama.


Despite this woman’s outstanding contributions, you haven’t promoted her or given her a raise. It’s not fair, and you know it.

Maybe you think she has to wait her turn or brush up on her soft skills and work better with others or that she simply needs more experience. But all of those things also applied to the many talented men who have rapidly advanced through the ranks of your organization.

Image via iStock.

They had somehow not been beholden to the same constraints of "promotions are given every three years" or "but what if so-and-so gets upset that they didn’t get a raise too?"

You’ve talked a big talk about mentoring and development opportunities, but when push comes to shove, you give her the less glamorous work, the "maybe next time" speech, the completed plan decided in a separate meeting without her because it was just easier and perhaps you think she won’t make as much of a fuss about it.

Maybe you even think you’re getting away with it because she says "fine" and does a great job anyway. But do you really think that there’s no resentment in that moment? No disappointment that’s stacked on top of other disappointments that she quietly suffers? Not to mention the occasional leer, dick joke, and unwanted touching she deals with as just the day-to-day life of a woman who is killing it in a company run by men?

She’s no fool. She’s taking classes outside of work, maybe with company support but often paid out of her own pocket. She’s got side projects where she’s developing new skills and learning how to lead because outside the company walls, there’s no one who can hold her back.

Image via iStock.

She’s got a network, and she knows what her friends at other companies make, and she has thought about what she might do if her paycheck were 20%, 30%, or 50% bigger.

It’s not too late. You can still turn this around. But you’ll have to move fast.

Back up her decisions, especially when they are right but politically uncomfortable. Get her in front of senior leadership and show off her work. Give her a real challenge and the authority and space to operate. Show her how she can do better next time when she makes a mistake instead of just being annoyed. And pay her what she’s worth with a title to match. After all, she’s grown more in the last six months than some of your team have grown in the last six years.

Do these things, and she’ll respect you and keep doing a great job. Her dedication and ingenuity will pay off in dividends for your product, your team, and your performance indicators  — making you look like a star in front of your boss and your clients.

Fail to do these things, and she will leave, probably after a big project wraps up because even in the end, she’s still responsible.

She’ll take a better role at a new organization, where she hopes to have a manager who will appreciate what she brings to the table — or maybe start her own company.

Image via iStock.

You’ll then have to write a job description, realize she was doing three people’s jobs, and spend six months interviewing candidates, hoping to find someone as good as she was only to discover that no one will accept a job at the salary you were paying her. And even after you finally hire her replacement(s), you’ll still have to spend months getting them up to speed so that they, cross your fingers, might do as good a job as she did.

But all that hasn’t happened yet. You still have time to make it right. So make it right.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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