Workplace gender disparities 2020

I’ve been reading the Financial Times excellent Women in Business special. Essential reading. The piece on shared parental leave quotes King's College London research that genuinely made me stop. Nearly half (47%) of Britons now say women’s equality has “gone far enough”. That’s up from 29% in 2019. The figure is 56% of men and 39% of women. Nearly half of us say women’s equality has gone far enough. Say what?! It doesn’t hold up when you look at the facts: Representation • Only 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women • Just 9% of UK executive directorships are held by women • For every 100 men promoted to manager, only 87 women are • Women represent just 28% of UK MPs • In film, only 20% of directors are female • In finance, less than 18% of partners in major UK firms are women Economics • Closing the gender gap could boost UK GDP by £88 billion • Increasing female labour participation across the EU could add €1.2 trillion in GDP • Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 50% more likely to outperform • Female-led businesses are growing at twice the rate of male-led ones in the UK • Women make 70–80% of consumer purchasing decisions Pay and Wealth • The UK gender pay gap remains 14.3% • In financial services, it is closer to 25% • Women receive just 2% of venture capital funding in Europe • Only 6% of UK fintech founders are women • Women hold just 32% of global wealth Work and Home • Shared parental leave uptake in the UK is still below 4% • 60% of working mothers say flexibility is a barrier to progression • Women carry out 60% more unpaid domestic labour than men • One in three senior women report online harassment, up 21% since 2020 • Just 1 in 5 tech roles in the UK are held by women So no, we are not “done”. We are far from done. A mix of media noise, economic anxiety, and a misconception that equality is zero‑sum that “more for women = less for men” is holding everyone back. This isn’t just a fairness issue. It’s a business, economic and societal imperative. #DiversityInLeadership #GenderParity #WomenInTech #FutureOfWork #YouCantBeWhatYouCantSee #BeEqual #GenderEquality #GenderEquity #DEI #LEADNetwork25 #LEADDigitalChapter #WomenInSTEM https://lnkd.in/eb3Q82n5

I'm troubled by this recent Ms. Magazine report on widening pay gaps for women, especially women of color. This regression and recent policy shifts create a perfect storm that threatens to undo decades of progress. Key findings that demand our attention: - Women now earn just 75 cents for every dollar men make - The wage gap isn't projected to close until 2068 – 43 years later than previous estimates - Intersectional disparities have deepened, with Latinas earning 51¢ and Black women 64¢ per white male dollar This backslide isn't about individual choices. It's rooted in systemic issues now at risk of worsening: 1. Occupational Segregation: - Women hold 77% of education/healthcare roles but earn 24% less than men in these fields 2. Caregiving Penalties: - Only 21% of U.S. workers have access to paid family leave - Childcare costs consume 28% of median household income 3. Negotiation Disparities: - Women asking for raises face 30% higher likelihood of being labeled "difficult." - Transparent salary ranges reduce gender gaps by 45%, yet 67% of companies use opaque systems Recent policy shifts pose additional challenges: The systemic dismantling of DEI infrastructure creates structural barriers to equitable hiring/promotions by: - Eliminating accountability measures: Federal contractors are no longer required to track/address pay disparities - Rescinding anti-bias tools: Removal of salary history bans, which reduced gender gaps by 45% - Defunding compliance staff: Federal DEI offices ordered to shut down, decimating enforcement capacity At WOC Retail Alliance®, we're intensifying our efforts despite these headwinds. We need more partners and urgent action: - State/local policies to preserve pay transparency and anti-bias training and enforcement - Corporate commitments to equitable and inclusive practices to build diverse teams and leadership pipelines despite federal hostility - Advocacy for childcare subsidies and paid leave laws - Continued push for the Equal Rights Amendment ratification It's time for bold, collective action. Our economy, our communities, and our future depend on it. #equalpay #access #closegaps #womenmatter #inclusionandequitymatter How is your organization navigating these challenges? Let's share strategies and drive change together in this critical moment. https://lnkd.in/gVRcXi6x

Women make up 52% of entry-level (P1) employees but just 23% of C-Suite executives. Why do so few women make it to senior roles? There is a lot of emphasis in the news on the gender pay gap. However, this “unadjusted” gender pay gap typically fails to capture what is perhaps the most powerful underlying force holding back women–𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀. Today, let’s test a few hypotheses for why this gap becomes so pronounced at senior levels. _______________ From first principles, there are three potential ways in which women-vs-men representation divergences can happen at senior levels: Potential Force 1: disparities in 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders Potential Force 2: disparities in 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders Potential Force 3: disparities in 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 between genders by job level Let’s take a look at all three potential forces to understand what is happening underneath the hood in the labor market. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟭: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🟡 Conclusion: For the most part, promotion rates are largely consistent for men and women across all job levels. I would thus suggest that promotion rate disparities are not the main driver of the representation rate divergence for men vs women at senior levels. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟮: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🔴 Conclusion: Employee turnover is slightly-but-not-massively higher for women across all job levels. Thus, I would suggest that turnover rate disparities are perhaps a small driver of the representation rate divergence for men vs. women at senior levels. _______________ 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝟯: 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 🔴🔴🔴 Conclusion: Hiring rate disparities between men and women by job level are where we see substantial gaps. For instance, women represent 51.5% of recent P1 hires but only 23.2% of recent C-Suite hires–a 29 percentage point gap. Thus, I would suggest that 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝘀. 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. _______________ 𝗖𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀: Pave’s dataset skews largely to the tech sector. Also, due to sample size constraints, individuals identifying as non-binary or other distinctions are not included in this analysis.

The gender pay gap doesn’t begin at the boardroom. It begins shorter after graduation. According to new FT analysis, men in the UK are earning 14% more than women just five years after leaving university - even when they studied the same subjects. Take maths graduates: men most often go into software development roles, averaging nearly £50k. Women most often go into teaching, averaging £34k. The same degree. Very different outcomes. This challenges the old narrative that the gender pay gap is mainly about “course choice.” It’s not. The disparity starts with how careers are channelled, valued, and rewarded right from the first rung of the ladder. Our own Three Barriers research shows how gender stereotypes, systemic bias, and unequal access to networks compound over time. By the time we get to the C-suite, the gap has widened into a chasm. This is an important issue for organisations: talented women are being funnelled away from the highest-paying, highest-prestige roles before they even have a chance to compete for leadership. This means, if we want more women in senior roles tomorrow, we need to tackle inequity in career pathways today. 👉 I'd love to hear examples of organisations working with schools and universities to encourage women to opt into a wider range of careers. Please share best practices of what your organisation is doing in this space! #GenderEquity #WomenInLeadership #GenderPayGap

We rank 129th out of 146 countries on gender pay gap. While equal pay ensures that men and women earn the same for identical tasks, the wage gap captures the broader disparities in earnings across sectors, roles, and lifetimes. So a physician is likely to earn more than a interior decorator, all other things being equal - if you have 20 years of experience you will earn more than someone with half of that… on average... Here are some contributing factors and solutions we can all champion: 1️⃣ Occupational Choices: A quick Google search for "best careers for women in India" surfaces predictable and lower-paying options like teaching, nursing and social media management. Compare that to men’s results—data science, investment banking, engineers, architects, and pilots. These results appear beacuse these careers are getting searched and I worry as women we often "satisfice," balancing societal and familial expectations, while men "optimize" for the highest-paying roles on day 1. It’s time for authentic conversations about these choices. Let’s guide young women to evaluate career paths based on averages, not outliers, and encourage them to aim higher. 2️⃣ Subject Selection in School: Math is often dropped too soon. Many girls give it up because they "don’t like it," but this limits access to high-paying fields like architecture and product design. Schools and parents must help students understand how early subject choices shape long-term opportunities - and that grades will only matter so much. 3️⃣ Continuous Employment: Caregiving responsibilities often push women out of the workforce. Staying employed—whether through flexible roles or reduced hours—builds future earning potential. Women, let’s have honest conversations with our managers about what we need to stay in the game. 4️⃣ Workplace Biases: Even when salaries start equally, biases creep in, slowing women’s growth over time. Transparency in pay and promotions is crucial, but so is equipping women with negotiation skills to fight for what they deserve. Role play with colleagues before your annual appraisal chats, read 'how to be effective' at these, find your path but find it. Some argue that women’s "choices" are their agency and many choose the lower paying tracks to lead fulfilling lives. But if those choices perpetuate disparities, they’re shaped by structural inequities, not freedom. The truth is simple: money is power. If we continue earning less, we’ll keep holding less power—socially and economically. We owe it to ourselves and the next generation to change this narrative. What are your thoughts? How can we address the gender wage gap in your industry? Let’s start a conversation. 💬 #futureofwork #genderequality #equalpay #wagegap

Did you know that women in biotech and pharma earn just 88 cents for every $1 their male counterparts make? I've observed a troubling trend that may be perpetuating this gap. Over the past 6 months, I've documented 23 separate LinkedIn posts from professionals (all women, 21 of whom work in HR or TA) proudly announcing they rescinded job offers because candidates attempted to negotiate their compensation packages. What's particularly concerning is how this behavior creates a feedback loop 5 female candidates recently told me they were afraid to counteroffer specifically because they had seen these posts. Some wouldn't even allow me to negotiate on their behalf—despite knowing additional compensation was available. The data suggests a problematic dynamic When men negotiate, they're often perceived as "ambitious," while women displaying the same behavior are labeled "difficult." This cultural difference starts early in how we socialize children and carries through to professional environments where it manifests as tangible financial disadvantages. As recruitment partners, we have a responsibility to recognize these patterns. Negotiation is a standard part of the American employment process—not a character flaw or sign of disloyalty. When TA professionals (especially those with SHRM credentials or who champion DEI initiatives) brag about punishing negotiation attempts, they're actively suppressing women's wages and contradicting their stated values. For hiring managers and companies How are you ensuring your compensation practices aren't inadvertently reinforcing gender pay disparities? Are your recruiters and HR teams trained to recognize these biases? For candidates, Negotiation is your right. If an offer is rescinded solely because you respectfully inquired about compensation adjustments, that's a significant red flag about company culture. What steps is your organization taking to ensure fair compensation practices across gender lines? I'd love to hear your thoughts. #BiotechEquity #FairCompensation #RecruitmentBestPractices #GenderPayGap #TalentAcquisition

The numbers don't lie: As women leaders in our midlife years, we're facing a perfect storm of structural inequities in Aotearoa New Zealand. While we've earned our leadership positions, the system still works against us. An 8.2% gender pay gap nationally (29.3% in financial services). KiwiSaver balances 30% lower than men's in our 40s, widening to 36% by our 50s and 60s. And around two-thirds of unpaid caregivers in New Zealand? WOMEN. The May 2025 Pay Equity Amendment Act further complicates our journey, significantly raising the threshold for new claims while removing ongoing review mechanisms for existing settlements. While previous wins for nurses and teachers remain, the path to equity just got steeper despite the government's claim of targeting only "genuine" discrimination cases. These aren't personal shortcomings. They're design flaws in our economic system. As leaders, we must champion pay transparency, create truly flexible workplaces, prioritise financial education, and advocate for policy reforms that recognise caregiving contributions, including those beyond motherhood like eldercare and grandparenting. The path forward isn't about working harder within broken systems. It's redesigning those systems to value our leadership and lived experience. QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO REFLECT ON: · Which of these statistics resonates with your experience? · How does your organisation address these inequities, if at all? · What structural barrier could you use your leadership to challenge and change for the better? Did this post resonate? - SAVE this post to revisit and reflect on later. - REPOST to amplify it to the women leaders in your network. - JOIN ME in Pathmakers - a human-centred leadership community for midlife women. Link in my profile : ) #WomenLeaders #Midlife #GenderEquity

Women no longer face bias and have achieved equality. I hear the scoffs, the dismissals... let the data talk:   Women are interrupted 33% more in meetings. Just 10% of Fortune 500 CEOs are women. (2% are women of color) The gender pay gap? 20%. (wider for women of color) Mothers are 50% less likely to be promoted. Women do 76% of the world's unpaid labor. At the current pace, it will take 132 years to close the global gender gap. In the last 50 years, only 61 women have won a Nobel in sciences vs. 612 men. Women-led startups receive just 2% of all VC funding. Globally, women own 32% less wealth than men. 1 in 3 women globally experiences gender-based violence. — The harsh reality? Equality isn't a "done and dusted" task. 🎯 Your steps: Face the reality - the facts don't lie. Educate yourself on unconscious bias. Listen when women voice their experiences and challenges. Challenge bias when you see it. Champion inclusive policies. Understanding is the first step towards change, action is the next. 💭 What's the most shocking statistic to you? And what one immediate action will you take? ♻️ Share if you're committed to driving real change ➕ Follow me Nicole Hoyle for more like this and DM for the source data links if interested in learning more

Unequal pay negatively impacts every woman, especially women of color. What can WE do to fix it? Gender and racial pay gaps are costing us a lot. The thing is, when one of us receives unequal pay, it impacts us all. As women professionals, advocating for our own pay means advocating for others, too. And as women leaders, we have a responsibility—and opportunity—to close pay gaps on our teams and across our orgs. It's why Moving the Needle brought together senior women leaders this week at Chief, featuring the expert voices of Emily Muskovitz Sweet, Sofia B. Pertuz, PhD, SHRM-SCP, ACC, CDE®, Sandhya Jain-Patel and Lori Castillo Martinez. Here's some of what we talked about and learned: 🔹 The landscape: Currently, the gender pay gap is 84% for full-time workers and 77% for all workers. The gap widens for intersectional identities like AAPI women, Black women, Native women and Latinas.  🔹 A culprit: For too long, compensation has been shrouded in ambiguity and secrecy. This has left the task of fixing a broken system to individual employees like us.  🔹 A recent shift: Things look very different than just a few years ago. Pay transparency laws are spreading, with 22 U.S. states and 21 cities requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job listings. This puts the onus on employers to create fair practices. We're seeing more companies embracing change—some with enthusiasm like Salesforce, others reluctantly. 🔹 Common roadblocks inside orgs: 1) Psychological barriers, like a lack of leadership buy-in, fear or inertia and 2) Mechanical hurdles to implementing best practices. Many companies overlook pay equity until it becomes a legal problem, or tackle it with fragmented and ineffective approaches. 🔹 The business case: Equitable pay practices are crucial to biz success. Legislation is coming, if it hasn't already. And employees and job candidates are demanding pay transparency. Orgs that embrace this have >20% higher offer acceptance rates + retention rates ~90%. On the flip side, employees say a lack of transparency makes a company look untrustworthy. And fines can add up, especially in CA and NYC. 🔹 The basics: Orgs should implement a compensation philosophy, establish pay bands, provide manager trainings, conduct anti-bias performance reviews, and prioritize consistency. It's recommended to run pay equity reports at least once a year. 🔹 OUR OPPORTUNITY: Change doesn't come without complexity, challenges and pushback from employers. That's where we come in. As senior leaders, we can play an effective role in helping them get it right. 🔹 Remember: This isn’t a one-time fix within a company; it’s a journey. There will be outliers and gaps. Don't let the pursuit of perfection hinder progress. The key is to identify a roadmap, keep moving forward, and continue to highlight the significant benefits this work can bring to our organizations. Sources and free resources in the comments. #payequity #womenleaders #movingtheneedle

Fixing Pay and Opportunity Inequities: A Call to Action One of the things we don’t talk about as much as we should is the opportunities gap.  The pay equity gap exists. Part of why it exists has to do with the fact that women don’t have the same access to opportunities as men.  Women are underrepresented in higher paying leadership roles.  And promotion gaps are also a part of the problem. So, when I hear that an employer has a plan for how they find, and fix pay equity gaps I am thrilled.  But then I ask about how they are going to find and fix the opportunity gap that exists, I often get asked, “What do you mean?” Recent research (“Potential” and the Gender Promotion Gap by Bensen, Li, and Shue), indicates that women, on average, receive higher performance ratings than men but are awarded lower potential ratings. This leads to women being 13% less likely to get promoted than their male colleagues. This disparity in promotion rates contributes to women staying lower level and lower paying jobs. As HR leaders, we need to address the root causes of pay equity gaps by determining what the biases are within policies and practices related to promotion, potential, and performance. No one should be receiving more favorable treatment based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, etc. related to pay, promotion opportunities, as well as the assessment of their potential and performance. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), it could take 134 years, or five generations, to close the global gender gap. Remember, most employees have their pay, performance, and potential reviewed annually. That means that employers have three times a year they can move toward equity.  (Number of employees x 3 = Number of opportunities to move toward equity) Be intentional and move the needle toward equity every chance you get. Don’t ignore the pay and workplace opportunity inequities that exist because the conversations are uncomfortable.  Five generations is too long to wait for this to be fixed. https://lnkd.in/gcEQ2jSs #payequity #paytransparency #compensation #hr #humanresources #fairpay #genderpaygap #paygap #opportunitygap