HR report highlights gender pay gap

Women in HR face a 13% gender pay gap on average, with those in financial services being paid 16% less on average than their male counterparts, according to a survey.

The HR Gender Pay-Rise Gap report by HR recruiters Oakleaf Partnership also found an 11% gender pay gap in the commerce and industry area. This is despite the fact HR is a 74% female-dominated profession.

However, the report found that women were starting to be given bigger pay rises when they moved roles which was helping to address the gender pay gap.

In financial and professional services, for example, women on average received 4% higher pay increases than their male counterparts when moving role. Nevertheless, in that sector there were notable gender pay gaps at all levels of seniority. Moreover, outside of mainstream HR generalist positions there were notable pay disparities in financial and professional services for more specialist roles, with learning and development positions being the most notable with an 11% gap.

In reward and analytics, women working in commerce and industry are getting much higher pay increases than men, says the report. Senior male pay remains notably higher on average than female pay, so despite the percentage increases at the senior end there is still a 21% gap at the top in the same industry for women in the same roles.

In financial & professional services in reward and analytics female senior hires are receiving notably better increases: on average 9% more than their male counterparts, but at the top there remains a 15% gap between male and female pay for similar level roles. The report says: “The fact that pay increases are advancing far more quickly suggests that companies are aware of this gap and that the industry is pushing harder for more gender parity at the senior end.”

In payroll females are consistently receiving greater rises than their male counterparts, says the report. There is very little pay disparity at the junior end and small reverse pay gap at the mid-market level. The report says: “This would suggest that over the last two/ three years the payroll profession has sought to address pay disparity.”

Meanwhile in commerce and industry most levels operate a negative gender pay gap, says the report, with salary increases offered are higher for females at all levels. Men are frequently paid less in all areas aside from HR Change & Transformation positions, it adds.

The report concludes: “The results of the research are clear: HR, in spite of remaining a female-dominated profession, is definitely showing signs of significant pay disparity… It is, however, also clear that female pay is advancing more quickly than male pay and we are pleased to see that females across all elements of our survey are receiving notable pay increases. All but two areas showed double digit percentage increases suggesting recognition for skills, experience and an appreciation for market rate.”

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