Date of Conferral

10-17-2025

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Annie Brown

Abstract

Business leaders face pressure from community and government officials to standardize employee wages. Fines and litigation risks can be substantial for employers who fail to comply with equal pay regulations. Grounded in the wage devaluation theory and the equity theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies healthcare leaders use to standardize wages and ensure compliance with equal pay regulations. Participants were four senior healthcare human resource leaders of private nonprofit hospital systems in the United States who have been successful in standardizing wages and in being compliant with equal pay regulations. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, public website materials, and publications from state and federal regulatory agencies. Through thematic analysis, four major themes emerged: implementation of strategies to standardize pay structure, defined pay structure, leadership support, and respect for the nursing profession. A key recommendation is for leaders in healthcare to be proactive and perform pay equity audits to comply with regulatory agencies. Implications for positive social change include the potential for healthcare leaders to foster more effective and empathetic leadership, thereby increasing the ability to find and retain more experienced nurses to provide quality care to patients

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