Gender Pay Gap Research Playbook for Women

Whether you are wondering about your current pay or researching salary bands for a new role, this UK Gender Pay Gap Research Playbook will give you some pointers on where to start.

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What is the Gender Pay Gap?

The gender pay gap is the difference in average earnings between men and women. It is typically expressed as a percentage of men's earnings. It's calculated by comparing the median or mean earnings of men and women and usually focuses on full-time workers to ensure a fair comparison.

The gap is not just about unequal pay for equal work (which is illegal in many countries); it's about disparities in job roles, sectors, and career advancement opportunities.

Segmented vs. Unsegmented Pay Gap Data

Segmented gender pay gap data divides data into subgroups to identify disparities within specific categories, such as job roles, departments, or employment types.

Unsegmented gender pay gap data refers to aggregate data without subgroup breakdowns, providing a broad overview of disparities across an entire organization or population.

UK Gender Pay Gap Statistics

Globally, the gender pay gap is estimated at around 20%, whereas in the UK, it stands at 13.5% (ONS). Check out our Top 10 Negotiation Skills: Gender Pay Equity with a deeper dive into gender pay gap statistics.

Gender Pay Gap Research Tips

Knowledge is power, so get informed. To research the gender pay gap for a specific role at a company in the UK, follow these steps:

Talk to Colleagues and Recruiters

If possible, understand how your compensation compares to colleagues in similar roles within your company. Remember, if you only ask women colleagues, this may not give you a good comparison. Consult recruiters and compare salaries to determine the appropriate salary for your role.

Role Specific Research

Tools like Perplexity.ai, Glassdoor and Payscale can be great for comparing your salary with industry standards for your role, location, and experience level. If role-specific data isn't available, analyse salary ranges and promotion rates by gender within comparable roles. This information can also be found in company reports or ONS reports.

Check Mandatory Reporting

Companies in the UK with 250 or more employees are legally required to publish gender pay gap data annually. Visit the company's website or check the UK Gov Find Gender Pay Gap Data tool.

Review Publically Available Company Reports

Review the company's published gender pay gap statistics, including mean and median pay gaps, bonus gaps, and workforce composition by gender. If role-specific data isn't available, analyse salary ranges and promotion rates by gender within comparable roles. This information can sometimes be inferred from company reports or broader surveys.

Look at Industry Data

Compare the company's data with industry benchmarks, available through reports like those from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The Gender Pay Gap in the UK: 2024 report shows the segmented pay data differences between women and men by age, region, full-time and part-time, and occupation.

Review Employer Actions

Look into the company's actions to address pay gaps, such as recruitment policies, flexible working arrangements, or diversity initiatives.

Combining these approaches, you can understand the salary ranges for a role or company and thus have a better starting point for negotiating your salary at a new company or your existing compensation.