A recent study reveals the ongoing gender pay gap in the UK.
- Only 43% of women received a pay rise compared to 50% of men.
- The UK lags behind international counterparts, with a wider seven percentage point gap.
- Many women feel undervalued in their roles, prompting potential actions like quitting.
- Efforts for transparency in pay equity remain ongoing amidst these disparities.
A study conducted by Randstad highlights a persistent gender pay gap in the UK, with only 43% of women receiving a pay rise in the last six months, compared to 50% of men. The disparity of a seven percentage point gap is notably wider than the international average, which stands at four percentage points. This discrepancy has led to over one million pay rises being missed by women across the country.
Victoria Short, the chief executive of Randstad UK, expresses concern over these findings, indicating that pay inequality is a severe issue. She states, “Pay inequality persists in the UK, with a significant number of women being denied well-deserved salary increases and bonuses”. This perspective underscores the gender pay equity challenges within the UK’s employment landscape.
Further insights from the research reveal that 30% of women feel their current pay does not support their desired lifestyle, compared to 25% of men. Despite this, the importance of pay is slightly higher among women, with 94% considering it a crucial factor in their employment decisions, as opposed to 93% of men.
Proactive actions by women in the face of this inequality have been documented, with 21% having requested better pay, and 13% having threatened to quit their jobs to negotiate higher salaries. Furthermore, 20% have actually left their jobs due to insufficient pay, reflecting a trend seen in countries like Italy, France, and Canada, where women take similar measures.
The study also sheds light on the priorities regarding employer policies, with 41% of women highlighting Gender Pay Equity as their top concern. This contrasts with only 25% of men who share this priority. The ongoing discussions about gender pay gap reporting, as mandated by the government, aim to bring more transparency to these issues.
Victoria Short argues that the gender pay gap does not always equate to unequal treatment but rather highlights workforce composition disparities. “A company could show a large gender pay gap due to having more women in lower-paid roles,” she noted, calling for more comprehensive approaches to address these structural imbalances.
In conclusion, while strides have been made towards transparency, significant challenges in achieving gender pay equity in the UK workplace remain.
