S3 E9: Talk Pay to Me: The Viral TikToker Tearing Down the Pay Gap, with Hannah Williams

Hebba Youssef
Hebba Youssef
March 18, 2024

 “How much do you make?” 

It’s the one question that sends chills up corporate spines and the one question every employee is secretly dying to ask one another. But what if it didn’t have to be that way? What if pay was… *gasp* actually transparent?

Meet the viral TikTok sensation daring to bring pay transparency to the forefront of the social media conversation, Hannah Williams.

Sick of corporate America making employees feel powerless in the pay cycle, Hannah’s viral TikTok series, “Salary Transparent Street” set out to tear down the pay transparency wall by encouraging strangers to disclose all the dirty deets of exactly how much they make. 

She chats with Hebba about how her personal experience of being underpaid sparked a social media revolution and inspired her to fight back against discriminatory employment practices and pay gaps disproportionately affecting women, POC, disabled communities, and LQBTQIA+ groups. 

Together, Hannah and Hebba break down strategies for setting pay bands in a fair and earnest way, discuss why employers are so scared of people talking about pay, and reveal how budget-strapped employers can think outside of the box when it comes to negotiations. 

  

The Predictive Index (PI) is an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. More than 60 years of proven science, software, and a curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, foster engagement, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world.

More than 10,000 clients and 480+ partners use PI—including Nissan, Citizens Bank, Subway, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Omni Hotels—across 90+ countries. Learn more at https://www.predictiveindex.com/.

 00:05:50 – Revolutionizing Salary Transparency in Content

00:08:18 – Transparency Leads to Higher Earnings

00:14:35 – Pay Transparency Legislation Also Aids Equality

00:22:05 – Gen Z Advocates for Pay Transparency

00:34:25 – Increasing Employee Motivation with Pay Transparency

00:39:33 – Revisiting Employee Pay Levels for Success

00:45:52 – Employers Fear Being Recorded by Employees

00:49:21 – Hannah’s Shark Tank Experience

00:52:38 – Interviewing Top Content Creators

 

And if you love HR Therapy, sign up to I Hate it Here, the newsletter for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.

https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/

 

And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!

 

Follow Hannah: 

Website: https://www.salarytransparentstreet.com

Newsletter: https://salarytransparentstreet.beehiiv.com/subscribe

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahawilliams/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@salarytransparentstreet

 

Follow Hebba: 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef

 

Hebba Youssef
Hebba Youssef