The Gender Pay Gap – Is it Real? New Survey Uncovers Employee Sentiments and Perceptions Across the Globe

The gender pay divide in the UK for full-time workers remains at around 9%, having not shifted much over the last four years. The World Economic Forum's 'Global Gender Gap Report' even predicts it could take 81 years to reach gender parity in the workplace. But now, a new report published by Glassdoor finds that employee perceptions of the gender pay gap may not actually match reality. In fact, 7 in 10 employed adults in seven countries believe men and women are paid equally for equal work at their employer. Women still feel the pinch more than their male counterparts: 70 percent of females believe that there is equal pay for equal work at their employer compared to 77 of males.     Conducted in United Kingdom, Canada, United States, France, Germany, The Netherlands and Switzerland, the survey also found that nearly 9 in 10 employed adults believe men and women should be paid equally for equal work. The survey also asked if people would apply to work at a company where a pay gap existed and 3 out of 5 employees said they would not – a hopeful sign for closing the gap. The survey suggests that companies hoping to attract the best talent would be wise to be transparent about their compensation practices. Women are less likely than men to apply for a job where they believe there is a gender pay gap, and in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, younger adults are less likely to apply to work if there is a difference in how men and women are compensated for equal work. Also of note – the survey queried respondents on what would help improve the gender pay gap, and nearly a third of UK employees who say there is a gender pay gap believe new company policies around pay and compensation will help close the imbalance, while 41% are looking to the government for legislation requiring employers to pay all people equally for equal work and experience levels. Transparency into pay at all levels ranks relatively high among British workers with just over a quarter (26%) of respondents indicating that they believe greater internal pay transparency such as HR sharing salary figures for all roles is the way to improve the gap. Check out the complete results of the Glassdoor Global Gender Pay Gap Survey and detailed employee perceptions by country. Is there a gender pay gap at your company? What do you think will improve the gender pay gap? Share your opinion below. Want to increase salary transparency at your company? Share your salary anonymously on Glassdoor.

1. ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.