Although women face a persistent pay gap in nearly every job, a new report from Payscale shows that the gap is wider in some industries than others.
Payscale also calculated the"controlled pay gap" for each industry, which takes into account the median salaries for men and women with the same job title and qualifications. The report notes that even if the controlled gender pay gap disappeared, however, the uncontrolled pay gap would persist as high-paid jobs are still more accessible to men than women.
The industries with the smallest uncontrolled pay gaps tend to have more women in senior management and offerIndustries with the smallest gender pay gaps:Education "One of the arguments we often hear is that the pay gap exists because of women's career choices," Thomas says."But I would question whether those are actual choices, or choices forced on women, who are often limited to certain sectors because of a lack of paid family leave and flexibility in others."
Closing the gap isn't just about giving people equal salaries for the same job – Thomas says companies should also consider how they can improve female representation across levels, be moreand how they can better support women who lost or left their job due to the pandemic. "One of the silver linings of the Covid-19 crisis – and the social justice movements that have emerged in recent years – is a greater focus on workplace equity," she adds."But when we talk about workplace equity, we're talking about far more than equal pay – it's also about creating environments where everyone feels supported and has access to the same opportunities."