While equal pay for the same role has been law in Australia since 1969, it's essential to distinguish it from the gender pay gap.Â
Gender pay gaps are not a comparison of like roles. They are a measure of the difference between the average pay of women and men across organisations, industries and the workforce as a whole, shown as a percentage or a dollar amount.
Many things can affect how much money women make compared to men, and they can have a compounding effect. Here are a few examples:
Different Jobs, Different Pay: Jobs traditionally done by women often pay less than jobs traditionally done by men, even if they need the same skills and effort.
Fewer Women in Leadership Roles: Fewer women than men hold top positions like CEOs or managers, which usually pay more. Men are often promoted to these roles more than women.
Balancing Work and Family: Women often juggle more family responsibilities, affecting their ability to pursue higher-paying jobs.
Part-Time Work and Time Off: Women may work part-time or take career breaks for family reasons, impacting their overall earnings.
Jobs with Bonuses and Commissions: Fewer women are in jobs offering bonuses or commissions, leading to significant earnings disparities.
Discrimination: Gender-based discrimination persists, unfairly impacting women's advancement and pay.
What to do? One way to close the gender pay gap is to look at your HR data, calculate your gender pay gap, and figure out what’s causing it. By knowing where the problems are, you can set goals to fix them. If you want help calculating your gender pay gap and knowing what to do about it, get in touch.