15 Equal Pay Day Ideas for Work in 2024

Here is our list of the best Equal Pay Day ideas.

Equal Pay Day ideas are activities, events, and games to promote equal pay in the workplace. Examples include compensation reviews, think tanks, and writing letters to legislators. The purpose of these activities is to educate employees on America’s gender pay gap.

These ideas are similar to examples of diversity and inclusion activities, employee appreciation ideas, and employee engagement campaigns. This occasion is similar to Women’s History Month.

This list includes:

• Equal Pay Day events
• Equal Pay Day games
• Equal Pay Day activities
• virtual Equal Pay Day ideas

Let’s get to it!

List of Equal Pay Day ideas

Recognizing Equal Pay Day in the workplace is a great way to show employees that you care. Here is our list of the most impactful Equal Pay Day ideas for work.

1. Take a step forward

One of the most eye-opening Equal Pay Day games is take a step forward. As part of this game, all players begin in a horizontal line. Then, the moderator reads a series of statements, and players move forward if they identify with the line.

​Moderators can begin with the phrase, ”Take a step forward if…” and then include the following statements:

• You have never had to work more than one job
• You have never earned less than minimum wage
• You have never wondered if a coworker has a higher salary
• You have never been rejected before your first interview
• You have ever been ghosted by a potential employer
• You have ever gone through rounds of interviews and did not get the job

This game can help employees visibly see the obstacles that other teammates face. Additionally, this activity highlights your team’s diverse backgrounds and experiences, which can bring employees closer together.

2. Think tanks

If you want to host an interactive activity, then we recommend think tanks. A think tank is an activity where teams brainstorm and deliberate on solutions to resolve a known issue. We suggest hosting a think tank where employees share their thoughts and feedback on promoting equal pay in the workplace. You can host your think tank in person or on Zoom, making this activity one of the best virtual Equal Pay Day ideas.

Be sure to begin your activity by presenting the topic of unequal pay to the group. Then, open up the floor for a roundtable discussion on potential solutions. For example, one participant may suggest implementing annual compensation reviews to ensure employees in the same position are paid equally for the same job. Think tanks are the best way to promote innovation, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Plus, this activity allows team members to speak up and share their thoughts openly.

Here are more virtual brainstorming ideas.

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3. Bias bulletin

Inequality typically stems from historical bias and stereotypes. One way to overcome these issues in the workplace is by creating a bias bulletin. The objective of this activity is for team members to share the inequalities they have faced in their lives anonymously. To create your bulletin, select a secluded area in your office. You can consider places that are away from cubicles and shared spaces. Alternatively, you can create a virtual bulletin using platforms like Google Jamboard.

Once you choose your location, invite employees to post about unequal treatment or discrimination they have experienced. For example, a female team member may write about when a male coworker accused her of being bossy when leading a project. After each teammate adds their statement to the board, regroup to review each experience and brainstorm ways to avoid this type of behavior.

Bias bulletins are an ideal way to share negative experiences related to inequality while promoting inclusive actions in the workplace.

Check out more office bulletin board ideas.

4. Women’s rights wall of fame

One of the best ways to recognize Equal Pay Day is by honoring historical figures who made strides in women’s rights.

To create your equality wall of fame:

1. Open a blank Google Slides document.
2. Use each slide to highlight an important women’s rights activist.
3. Include their name, date of birth, and key highlights around their accomplishments in the field.

Here are a few women’s rights activists to add to your wall of fame:

• Sojourner Truth
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• Mary Wollstonecraft
• Susan B. Anthony
• Simone de Beauvoir
• Frida Kahlo
• Gloria Steinem
• Malala Yousafzai

Creating a wall of fame is a great way to reflect on the historical progress of women’s rights while looking toward the future.

Here is a list of International Women’s Day quotes for inspiration.

5. Speak your truth

One of the most insightful Equal Pay Day games is speak your truth. This game encourages employees to share their experiences around discrimination and inequality openly. To begin this game, designate a moderator to pose a series of prompts to each participant. If attendees feel comfortable doing so, then they can share their personal stories.

Speak your truth prompts can include:

• Talk about any negative experiences in past roles.
• Was there ever a time when you realized you were not compensated fairly?
• What policy would you enact to combat unequal pay?
• When was the first time you recall experiencing discrimination?
• What was the most eye-opening experience you had regarding bias and discrimination?
• What would you do if you saw a colleague experiencing discrimination?

This activity encourages team members to open up about sensitive topics. Additionally, this game can help teams have difficult conversations and actively work toward solutions while promoting an inclusive workplace environment.

6. Unequal bake sale

Hosting an unequal bake sale is one of the best ways to highlight pay inequality. At your bake sale, put prices on each dessert. You should have two different prices for each item where men pay full price and women pay an additional $10. This pay disparity symbolizes the gender pay gap by having each gender pay a different price for the same product.

Of course, proceeds should go to charity, and men can offer to donate more for their selected items to help close the price gap and further the cause. Participating should be fully optional.

Be sure to find a spacious area to host your bake sale. You can also designate two to three cashiers to implement the pay structure and ensure the event runs smoothly. This activity can help employees visibly see the effects of unequal pay in the real world.

As a bonus, you can donate the profits from your bake sale to a nonprofit fighting against pay inequality, such as Equal Pay Today or the EQUAL-SALARY Foundation.

7. Letter-writing campaign

One of the most impactful Equal Pay Day activities is writing letters to your local legislators. In these letters, you should urge your elected officials to close the gender pay gap by advancing equal pay bills and laws.

We suggest bringing your team to write a handful of letters together. You can also devise a plan for following up on your letters and sending reminders to ensure that elected officials play their part in the fight for equal pay.

8. Fair recruiting training

The first step to promoting equality in the workplace is by enacting fair recruitment practices. We recommend hosting a fair recruiting training session that educates your company’s recruiters on preventing salary disparities among new hires.

Here are a few subjects to cover in your training session:

• Adding accurate salary ranges to job descriptions
• Conducting constant research on market pay rates
• Implementing blind hiring practices
• Using inclusive language during interviews
• Avoiding interview questions about current or previous salary
• Enacting a transparent compensation negotiation process
• Adding skills assessments to your hiring process
• Hosting regular training sessions on equal employment opportunity

For example, one aspect of your training session can resolve around blind hiring practices where you blur identifiable characteristics from a candidate’s resume, such as their name, education, age, and gender. This practice ensures fair hiring based solely on a candidate’s ability to do the job.

If you are looking for a subject matter expert to lead the training, then we recommend turning to your company’s human resources department. HR professionals can provide the best insight into new and existing company policies related to recruitment.

9. Salary negotiation workshop

Salary negotiation workshops can help empower women to take control of their paychecks from the moment they attend a job interview. We recommend enlisting the help of a local financial expert to lead your workshop. Your host should educate attendees on the gender pay gap and cover topics like setting your target salary, creating your pitch, and determining your personal value.

Hosting a salary negotiation workshop can help women at your company develop the skills and confidence to negotiate a new job, raise, or promotion successfully.

Here are more corporate workshop ideas.

10. Equal Pay Day calendar

The gender pay gap is undoubtedly high, but the racial pay gap is even higher. Women of other races, such as Black, Hispanic, and Native women, are more likely to earn less than white women. Each group’s unique experience with discrimination, oppression, and marginalization is known as intersectionality.

​While Equal Pay Day is in March, there are subsequent dates that recognize racial pay gaps, including:

• AAPI Women’s Equal Pay Day: May 3
• LGBTQIA Equal Pay Awareness Day: June 15
• Black Women’s Equal Pay Day: September 21
• Native Women’s Equal Pay Day: November 30
• Latina Equal Pay Day: December 8

We suggest creating a shared calendar highlighting and explaining these dates’ significance. Then, when each date comes around, you can host a reflection and discussion session with team members to revisit the conversation around unequal pay.

Creating a calendar highlighting these dates is one of the best ways to educate employees on the importance of working toward change for all women regarding equal pay.

11. Annual compensation reviews

Implementing annual compensation reviews is a great way to ensure equal pay at your company. During this review, managers should meet with the HR and finance teams to ensure that employees’ job titles and current compensation align with market pay rates and costs of living in your area. Sites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and Indeed are helpful tools for benchmarking fair compensation.

As part of your annual compensation review, you should also meet with employees to check on their expectations and needs. For example, a team member can use this time to make their case and negotiate a raise. Be sure to separate compensation reviews from performance reviews. Performance reviews should revolve solely around the employee’s job performance, goals, and career advancement opportunities.

12. Documentary watch party

Watch parties allow you and your team to sit back and enjoy a film. Additionally, watching documentaries together can help to educate viewers on important topics. We suggest hosting a documentary watch party where you watch films about gender inequality and feminism.

Here are some of our top documentary recommendations:

• Explained: Why Women Are Paid Less
• Becoming
• LFG
• Feminists: What Were They Thinking
• 9to5: The Story of a Movement
• RBG
• Seeing Allred

After watching your film, we recommend leading an open discussion with participants. Your discussion should revolve around key lessons from the film as well as perspectives on the women’s rights movement throughout history.

13. Fair pay forum

Creating a fair pay forum is one of the best virtual Equal Pay Day ideas. This forum should be a safe place for team members to voice their stances, perspectives, and viewpoints on equal pay and other inequality issues.

Slack is the best place to host your virtual forum. To begin this activity, create a Slack channel called #Fair-pay-forum. Then, invite team members to the channel and encourage them to share their thoughts and stories on fair pay. Starting a poll is a great way to open the discussion. For example, you can ask participants to vote on whether the company should do more to support equal pay. Then, members can begin an open dialogue on their personal experiences with inequality and how to move toward a more equal future.

14. Panel discussion

If you are brainstorming ideas for Equal Pay Day events, then we recommend hosting a panel discussion. As part of your event, have leaders at your company talk about what they are doing to promote equal pay in the workplace. Bonus points if you recruit a panel of successful female leaders to lead the discussion.

Your panelists should discuss their personal experiences with workplace inequality and how their experiences have shaped them into who they are today. You should also have your panelists detail the steps they are taking to ensure equal pay at your company. Be sure to leave 10 to 15 minutes at the end of the discussion for a live audience Q&A session.

15. Fishing for feedback

Feedback is one of the best gifts employees can give their employer. Surveys are one of the most effective employee retention tools. Plus, learning what team members honestly feel about working at your company can help you make necessary improvements and refinements.

Your survey can include a series of statements, such as:

• I am fairly compensated for my job.
• My workplace is diverse and inclusive.
• I am satisfied with the compensation I receive.
• C-suite executives at my company are diverse.
• I am inspired by female leaders at my company.
• I have the opportunity to lead important projects.
• My coworkers and I are treated fairly and equally.

Be sure to include a sliding scale of one to five on your survey. Your scale will allow survey takers to strongly agree or disagree with each statement. You can also add a final question where users can share written feedback on their experience at your company. We suggest making your survey anonymous so participants feel more comfortable answering questions and sharing their thoughts on the pay structure at your company.

Conclusion

On average, the American woman makes 82 cents for every dollar that a man makes, according to a study by World Economic Forum. Furthermore, Black women earn 62 cents, Native American women earn 57 cents, and Latina women earn 54 cents, according to Equal Pay Today. Bringing your team together to advocate for equal pay is one of the most honorable ways to recognize Equal Pay Day while making a positive change in society.

Next, check out our list of fun ways to improve employee satisfaction. You can also explore employee retention strategies and morale boosters for employees.