Men 1.8x more likely than women to be top earners: WGEA
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The news: The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has found employer gender pay gaps are, on average, smaller today than they were a year ago. But the number of employers reporting a gender pay gap has increased.
More than 50% of employers now report a gender pay gap greater than 11.2% in favour of men, according to the report.
The context: The WGEA report also found that employers in higher-paying, men-dominated industries were more likely to record the largest gaps. Key drivers of pay gaps include differences in discretionary pay such as performance bonuses and overtime hours.
The report found that women in high-paid roles rose 1%, but men remain 1.8 times more likely to be in the top quartile of earners, with an average annual salary of around $221,000. Women, on the other hand, earn an average annual salary of around $60,000.
WGEA said a growing number of employers are conducting a gender pay gap analysis each year to make informed decisions aimed at improving workplace performance and pay.
What they said: “The fact that men are nearly twice as likely as women to be in the highest paid roles and that women still dominate the lowest paid roles should offer a reality check for anyone who thinks Australia has achieved equality in the workplace,” WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said.
“Employers should treat gender equality like their other business goals. Do a detailed analysis to find the issues, create an action plan to address them and set targets to be accountable for ensuring progress happens,” she added.
Wooldridge said masculinised industries such as rental hiring, real estate, wholesale trading and mining recorded the largest improvements in narrowing gender pay gaps, she told Capital Brief.
When asked what advice she would give companies seeking to help women progress into senior roles, she said employers should focus more on recruitment and retention.
“Our advice is to do your analysis, understand where your pipeline is losing people, and use that evidence to put policies and initiatives in place to close the gap,” she said.
The source: WEGA Media Release
