03.25.24
What is it like for a women experiencing gender bias in the workplace? When Georgia Garinois-Melenikiotou was at a company Johnson & Johnson acquired 30 years ago, her male boss left and she was offered the position, temporarily—at half the salary.
Eighteen months later after proving her worth, she was given the title "president" and it came with a raise, but it still wasn't equivalent to the salaries of her male coworkers. "It took me another 10 years to close that salary gap," Garinois-Melenikiotou says in this interview posted on MIT Sloan's website.
"Although women have made so much progress in the various expressions of gender bias, the differences in remuneration are still significant. The status quo needs to change, and women have to learn how to ask for more money," she says.
In the interview, Garinois-Melenikiotou also discusses how she was responsible for RoC's restructuring plan—and tips for women navigating a career path while juggling a personal life.
Garinois-Melenikiotou is an MIT Sloan School of Management alum and serves on its board. She is also an independent board member for Douglas and Natura & Co.
Her extensive career includes several leadership roles at Estée Lauder Companies and Johnson & Johnson.
