Recent analysis reveals significant pay disparities between men and women in the UK workforce.
- Only 43% of women received a pay rise or bonus in the last six months, compared to 50% of men.
- The disparity is wider than the average international gap, highlighting persistent gender biases.
- Many women are taking action, such as negotiating or leaving jobs, to address pay inequities.
- The UK’s mandatory gender pay gap reporting aims to drive transparency and change.
The recent study by Randstad has highlighted that less than half of the women in the UK, specifically 43%, received a pay rise or bonus in the last six months. In contrast, 50% of men reported receiving pay increases, exposing a significant gender disparity in financial recognition within the workforce.
The gap in the UK surpasses international averages, where typically a four percentage point difference is observed. This discrepancy suggests that UK women face a harsher reality in terms of pay equality compared to their international counterparts. Moreover, only 4% of women reported receiving a ‘significant’ pay rise, compared to 9% of men.
With approximately 15.7 million women employed in the UK, this imbalance translates to over a million lost opportunities for pay rises for women during the past six months alone. As Victoria Short, CEO of Randstad UK, points out, there is a disheartening persistence of pay inequality, which exacerbates the existing gender wage gap and highlights the uneven allocation of salary increases.
Three in ten women have expressed that their job fails to meet their financial aspirations, which is a slightly higher proportion compared to one-quarter of men. This finding undermines the notion that women inherently place less importance on pay; in fact, a marginally higher percentage of women than men, 94% versus 93%, regard pay as a critical factor in their employment decisions.
The study reveals that UK women are actively pursuing better compensation, with 21% having requested or campaigned for improved pay. More aggressive measures are being taken by some, as indicated by 13% of women who have threatened to quit to negotiate better pay, and 20% who have actually left their jobs due to inadequate remuneration. This trend is even more pronounced in other G7 economies, such as Italy, France, and Canada.
Victoria Short has stated that the inequity is not due to a lack of ambition among women. Many are actively challenging the status quo by seeking higher pay and considering job changes if their worth is not recognised by their employers.
The priority placed by women on gender pay equity is evident, with 41% marking it as a top concern in equality and diversity policies, contrasting with only 25% of men who share this priority. This emphasis underscores an ongoing issue as many women demand equitable treatment.
Despite legislative measures by the UK government mandating larger companies to disclose gender pay gap information, challenges remain. These measures target transparency, but a gender pay gap can still exist due to the distribution of roles, not necessarily indicating unequal pay for the same work. Nevertheless, many organisations strive to close these gaps, though disparities persist—especially if women predominantly occupy lower-paid positions.
Gender pay disparity remains a pressing issue in the UK, requiring continued efforts for equitable treatment in the workplace.
