But, only 20% of computer scientists are women. Although numerous initiatives have been created to encourage more young women into the technology industry, the number of women in these fields continues to decrease due to several factors such as the gender pay gap and a lack of equality of treatment, which has lowered the self-esteem level and pushed them to leave the field. However, research by Daniel Kahneman, an expert on behavioral economics, indicates that after a certain point, more money does not necessarily yield more happiness, so why should society be concerned with closing the wage gap? It promotes the belief that women are not equal to their male counterparts, which severely impacts their confidence and self-esteem levels.  It obstructs the belief of gender equality. However, Nonprofits play a small role in resolving this issue for future generations as their impact has been shown to be minimal. They are unable to reach the number of girls necessary to create a large impact through their events and mentorship programs. But, companies can control the way women are treated in the workforce by ensuring equal treatment of all employees through policies, closing the gender pay gap, cultural initiatives, mentorship circles, and other tools. (https://hbr.org/2020/01/5-strategies-for-creating-an-inclusive-workplace) These techniques would not cost the employers any money as they would be run by existing employees. Non-profits shouldn’t be responsible for resolving these issues like the environment at these companies is what is causing women to leave the workforce in the first place.

 

The gender pay gap that currently exists has also hindered women from entering the workforce. According to CNBC, the gender wage gap currently exists due to the devaluation of the work that women do couple with the overwhelming amount of men in leadership positions. First, it furthers the falsehood that women are not equal to their male counterparts. It also ruins any feeling of inclusivity and support that the women might have gained from a mentorship program. Third, the gender wage gap affects bonuses and inhibits them from receiving promotions, since the culture has wired some men in leadership positions to believe that women are less deserving of financial rewards, such as bonuses. Fourth, it forces women to leave the field, something unconscionable yet commonplace in 21st century America. It is clear that there are several ways that companies and nonprofits can make all employees, not just women, feel included and valued in their work environment. But there are a few limitations of these efforts, namely the minimal impact of nonprofits on the U.S. corporate world as a whole. Closing the gender pay gap sends the message to both employees and consumers that women are equal in value and skill when they have the same roles as meN (www.forbes.com/sites/tanyatarr/2018/04/04/by-the-numbers-what-pay-inequality-looks-like-for-women-in-tech/#9f33fac60b11.)

Diversity is certainly a huge asset in the workforce as it can cultivate incredible ideas. Salesforce, a multi-billion dollar software company, states that on their site that “Diversity and inclusivity in the workplace are necessary to create a competitive economy in a globalized world.” Corporate America will also benefit financially from having an inclusive and diverse work environment. Moreover, closing the gender pay gap will help to eliminate the issues that women face today in corporate America. It conveys that women are equal to their male counterparts.