SHRM All Things Work Master Difficult Conversations Around Pay Equity
Oct 14, 2025
Nicole Armstrong, CEO of Ellequate and a recognized expert in pay equity, tackles the pervasive issues surrounding fair compensation. She explains the critical difference between pay equality and pay equity and uncovers hidden drivers of inequity, like pay secrecy and occupational segregation. Nicole advocates for intentional systemic changes to address biases in compensation. With real-world success stories, she provides actionable advice for handling sensitive pay discussions and making compelling cases for raises or promotions.
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Pay Equity Versus Pay Equality
- Pay equality means identical pay for identical jobs, while pay equity rewards the value, skills, and responsibilities of roles regardless of who fills them.
- Nicole Armstrong says equity removes bias by paying for the work itself, not historical assumptions about people.
Multiple Causes Compound Pay Gaps
- Pay inequity arises from many interconnected causes, not a single source like discrimination alone.
- Armstrong highlights pay secrecy, prior salary basing, and caregiving gaps as compounding drivers of inequity.
Occupational Segregation Shapes Pay
- Occupational segregation is a top driver of pay inequity and appears in vertical and horizontal forms.
- Armstrong notes that when women flood a field its pay can fall, while male entry into female fields can raise pay.