The nervous tightening knot in your stomach and the flutter of hope in your heart. The familiar emotions that resurface for employees with appraisal season. The performance review is a crucial time when all the hard work throughout the year, bears fruit (or so you hope).

But are you making sure you are getting what you deserve out of your appraisal?

The gender wage gap is a reality!

While women are taking the lead in both the corporate and business world on a global level, the gender-based wage gap still exists in corporate India. According to the Monster Salary Index published in 2019, the gender pay gap in India stands at 19 per cent. This gap increases for skilled jobs – reaching up to 30 per cent for highly skilled occupations.

The gender wage gap is way beyond just a statistic

Imagine you have the same qualifications, same experience and have worked just as hard to rise in the corporate ladder but are still receiving an almost 20 per cent lower pay than your male counterpart. Not getting your due at an appraisal can impact your work morale significantly as well as have a considerable impact on your finances.

How can you ace your appraisal to get what you truly deserve?

While there may be several reasons that a significant gender wage gap still exists in corporate India, there can be several steps you can take to ensure you get the pay and benefits that you rightfully deserve:

Take some time to reflect on the year gone by

As women, we get so caught up in juggling our work and personal commitments that we often miss out on giving the required attention to our appraisal. Set aside time to reflect on the past year and gather your thoughts on all the milestones you have achieved for your company.

Communication is key

Knowing what you have achieved is not enough if you cannot communicate this forward to your performance manager. Throughout the year you must articulate all your hard work and milestones achieved. Assuming your manager will automatically recognise your work without you bringing it to the forefront can be a costly mistake.

Be confident

You may have taken a break from work for personal commitments – be maternity or other personal responsibilities. Apart from bringing a break in your career, this may also dent your confidence in the workplace. Try not to let this get in the way of and overshadow the work you have done. Make most of the upskilling opportunities that are available: research for courses online, enquire in your professional networks or even seek help from your colleagues and manager on ways that can keep you valuable in the organisation.

Negotiate it right

A lot depends on your negotiating skills. An appraisal will primarily determine your pay rise, so do not be afraid to negotiate, backing up your asks with your work performance. Find more pointers on how not to let the gender pay gap affect you in this video from our #FinanceFriday series.

Have a clear outlook about your role in the organisation

Having clarity about your role is essential. Most companies will reward employees who can demonstrate a growth vision for themselves and the organisation. A poor appraisal or one that doesn’t match your expectations can be extremely demotivating, especially if you see male counterparts who once used to be your peers climbing the ranks at a faster rate. So, gear up and put in some serious thought into your upcoming appraisal – a little effort now can pay the entire year!

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