Gender Differences in Negotiation: Can Interventions Reduce the Gap?

Abstract

Gender differences in negotiation are seen as contributing to the persistent gender gaps in labor market outcomes. We review the literature on interventions aiming to mute differences in negotiation and assess their effectiveness in reducing the gender pay gap. We present research on initiatives that aspire to increase how often and how women negotiate, as well as institutional changes that ban negotiations, ban requests for employee salary history, and improve wage transparency. Along with reviewing evidence on the effectiveness of these initiatives, we point to unintended consequences that warrant caution at implementation. The review makes clear that initial efforts to push women to negotiate more like men have shifted to alter instead the conditions of the negotiation. This shift results not only from wanting to consider policies that “fix the institutions” rather than “fixing the women,” but also from evidence that these interventions are more successful in securing pay equity.