Inequalities between men and women are present in both the private and professional spheres. In the private sphere, on average, women bear a greater mental burden than men, particularly when it comes to managing household budgets and expenses. "According to Insee, in 2010, women took on 64% of domestic tasks and 71% of parental tasks within households." 1

10 years on, the debate is still going strong. Yet this mental burden, in addition to being a source of unhappiness at home, also has an impact on working life. As the people in charge of budgets and expenses, women often find themselves on the front line when it comes to stress linked to financial difficulties. As a result, their work and efficiency are more likely to be affected by personal problems, particularly financial ones, than men s. Furthermore, in the professional sphere , in addition to the salary inequalities for equivalent positions that no longer need to be proven, the glass ceiling and stereotypes can be major obstacles to women s fulfillment at work.

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Far from being a favor, an advance on salary is a right

Generally speaking, asking for an advance on salary can be perceived by employees as a risk of being looked down upon by employers and colleagues. However, far from being a favor, an advance on salary is a right, and even a duty for the employer, who is obliged to accept the request (if it s the first time in the month). What s more, this fear of being seen by others weighs more heavily on women than men. In the collective imagination, if a man asks for a down payment, it s easy to think that he has to deal with an unforeseen event requiring an early cash inflow, such as health care for example, whereas a woman will potentially be perceived as a spendthrift or not knowing how to manage her budget. "28% of French people in general, and 35% of men, believe that "women are bigger spenders than men "2.

Bringing money home has always been a social role attributed to men. So it s less natural to judge him if he asks for a down payment, since he s simply fulfilling the role society has assigned him. On the other hand, if a woman asks for a down payment, we re more likely to think she fits the social role of the feverish spendthrift who doesn t count, from Zola s "Bonheur des Dames". Also, out of fear of fitting a stereotype that could backfire, an employee will be far more reluctant to ask for a down payment than an employee.

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The stakes are twofold

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The stakes are twofold: women will be the first to worry about an unexpected expense in the middle of the month, adding to their mental load and weighing on their efficiency and happiness at work. At the same time

will be the last to ask for an advance on their salary, for fear of colleagues judgment and the consequences for their career.

That s why Stairwage wants to reverse this perception and ensure that the down-payment is no longer seen as a career risk, but as a means of fulfilling oneself and doing one s job better; and to combat the gender inequalities that result from it. The request for a deposit is anonymous, confidential and automatic. There s no need to justify your request - it s a right, #NoQuestionAsked.

Stairwage is thus an innovative and effective way:

1) to combat the stress and mental burden of financial difficulties at the end of the month

2) To combat pay and professional inequalities by offering a secure and confidential channel for those wishing to request an advance on their salary.

Equality between men and women is a major challenge for quality of life at work. The balance between professional and private life is still at the root of deep-rooted professional inequalities. Supporting workers in achieving such a balance is a key factor in the well-being of a company s employees and its economic performance.

With Stairwage, digital becomes a real tool to support professional equality, through economic flexibility and employee empowerment. But that s not enough, and that s why entrepreneurs are working every day to get things moving. Such is the case of the Sista collective created in 2018 by Tatiana Jama and Céline Lazorthes. Indeed, in the name of the same prejudices mentioned above, women entrepreneurs are at a major disadvantage when it comes to accessing financing. Even today, women entrepreneurs face numerous gender-related obstacles. Sista thus brings together a community of women entrepreneurs, investors and investment funds, who exchange and support each other in their professional projects, to promote gender diversity and inclusion in the digital sector.

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1 Sarah Flèche, Laura Sénécal, (04.03.2021) CNRS le journal, survey by Flèche S., Lepinteur A., Powdthavee N., 2018, "Gender Norms and Relative Working Hours: Why Do Women Suffer More Than Men from Working Longer Hours Than Their Partners?", AEA Papers and Proceedings, 108, 163-68. DOI:10.1257/pandp.20181098

2 (2015) Le Parisien. Internet survey conducted by BVA for Bred Banques Populaires in May 2015 among 1,001 people representative of the population aged 18 and over.

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