Mike Smith
5th December 2022
The infamous ‘gender pay gap’ is a topic that is commonly discussed, but what is the current status of differences in pay between men and women within the tech industry?
Stereotypically, the tech industry is a male dominated field, with more women entering the tech world every year.
Unfortunately, around 78% of large organisations have admitted to having a gender pay gap within the tech sector, with companies such as google reporting that for every £1 a male earns, a female earns 83p and women’s bonus’ are on average 43% lower than those of men. There are a multitude of factors that may result in this difference of pay, such as different hierarchal positions. Nevertheless, when a male and female employee have the same levels of experience and skills, it is unacceptable for them to be paid unequally in my opinion.
Despite these disappointing figures, there is hope! According to figures produced by the UK Government, the UK gender pay gap is at its lowest ever at 18% and it cannot be disputed that now more than ever, employers pay attention to female applicants and wages within the workplace. Whilst this progression is slow, I think that it is still important as it shows how society is changing to get rid of stereotypes for good, especially those that are deep-rooted in the workplace.
Raising awareness of the issue through campaigns and regular surveys, as well as the appreciation of women on days such as International Women in Tech Day is certainly pushing employers in the right direction! I believe that it is important to celebrate the small wins for women in the working world and in the technology industry because it allows these women not only to feel empowered to continue fighting for equality but also shows recognition and appreciation of their efforts.
To conclude, I must admit it is disappointing to see negative statistics surrounding the gender pay gap, especially when there is so much awareness of the situation in today’s society. However, this does not mean we should have a negative outlook for the future: the gender pay gap is decreasing at a steady rate which means what society is doing to create change is working! I think that above all, a positive mindset and collective determination will be vital in creating improvements for the future!
At TP, we like to display equitability and treat all our members with the same level of respect, regardless of gender, race, or sexuality! If you would like to discuss strategies to increase equality and inclusivity in your workplace, please do not hesitate to get in touch via mike.smith@transition-partners.co.uk!