Your Opinions

5 important statistics on the gender pay gap

published April 19, 2023
A miniature man and a miniature woman sitting on a stack of coins of the same height

Did you know that women earn 82 cents for every dollar that men make?

 

The gender pay gap is still a hot topic, so we asked our LifePoints community what they thought about the pay gap and if equal opportunities are available for men and women. For instance, are there enough women leaders in society and has society made positive progress in recent years?

 

The community responded with their views, and they didn't disappoint with some great answers. We’re excited for you to read them, learn more about the gender pay gap, and celebrate some of the most successful women in our society.

 

Questions about the gender pay gap

But what is the gender pay gap anyway?

The gender pay gap measures the difference between how much men and women make. It’s a complex issue so it can be tricky to understand all the ins and outs, but the OECD defines the gender page gap as “the difference between median earnings of men and women relative to median earnings of men.”

 

How is the gender pay gap calculated?

The gender pay gap is calculated by looking at all the salaries for men in the country and seeing which salary falls exactly in the middle. The middle salary is found in the same way for women and the two middle salaries are compared to get the gender pay gap.

 

What causes the gender pay gap?

There are several reasons why the gender pay gap exists, including:

  • Social pressure on women to pursue lower-paying job types
  • Women might take more time off work to raise families
  • Men are often more likely to negotiate a higher salary
  • Discrimination against women when hiring
  • Fewer women in leadership positions

 

These are only a few reasons why women earn less than men. For a full background, check out the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report on the gender pay gap.

 

Why is the gender pay gap important?

Understanding the gender pay gap is important because when women earn less, they have less financial and social security. The gender pay gap can also have negative effects on mental health. Less money can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and other adverse effects on mental health.

 

With more knowledge and working towards closing the gender pay gap, women will be less stressed over finances and have more social safety in their lives.

 

5 statistics on what people think about the gender pay gap and equal opportunities

LifePoints community members were recently polled about how they view some of the most interesting parts of the gender pay gap. Over 600 community members responded and here is what people think. Want to join the conversation too? Share your thoughts with the community on Facebook and Twitter.

 

67% of people think that men and women doing the same job get paid comparably

The first question the LifePoints community answered was whether men and women are paid comparably. 67% of people said that men and women are paid comparably.

bar chart of if men and women get paid comparably

The LifePoints community believes there needs to be more women in leadership positions

Over half of people taking the survey believe that there aren’t enough female leaders in the world, with 52% of people saying there aren’t enough women leaders. 

pie chart of if people think there are enough women leaders

Men are more likely to believe that men and women are offered the same career opportunities

Community members were then asked if they believe that men and women were offered the same career opportunities. 53.9% of women said the same career opportunities available. 75.2% of men said the same opportunities were available.

bar chart of if people think men and women are offered the same opportunities

People are split about whether some jobs are for men and others are for women

When people were asked if some jobs are for men and others were for women, the audience was split evenly. The most popular response was yes with 40.7% of people agreeing that some jobs are made for specific genders. The lowest was no with 28.6% of people not agreeing, and 30.7% of people said to some extent.

Pie chart of if people think jobs are made for different genders

Over 80% of survey takers think things have become more equal for men and women in the last decade

The thing most people agree within the community was that, there has been progress in the last decade towards a more equal society. Over 80% agreed that society has progressed towards a more equal place for men and women in the last 10 years.

bar chart of if people think there has been more gender equality in the last 10 years

3 successful women to celebrate

The gender pay gap presents challenges and there needs to be more women in leadership, so it's a great opportunity to recognize the achievements of women. From CEOs to TV pioneers, women have shown how much they can achieve.

 

Sheryl Sandberg

Named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people, Sheryl Sandberg succeeded in the business world, becoming the Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. As well as her success at Facebook, Sheryl is the author of the book "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead", which has sold over 4 million copies. The book focuses on how women can succeed at home and in the business world. Given how important the gender pay gap is, Sheryl’s book can help in making society more equal.

 

Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes is one of the most successful people in the entertainment industry, best known for creating Grey`s Anatomy. She is also known for other shows like “Scandal” and “How to Get Away with Murder.” For her work, she received the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award in appreciation of her efforts.

 

Ginni Rometty

Another successful woman in business, Ginni Rometty became the first female CEO of IBM. During her time at IBM, she made some impressive changes to the business, focusing on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. For her impact, Ginni has been named one of Fortune's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and one of Forbes' 100 Most Powerful Women.

 

Share your opinions on gender pay gap and many other important matters and get paid at the same time

The gender pay gap is a complex issue with several factors to consider. In the meantime, taking surveys online with LifePoints is a convenient way to make money online and earn some extra cash.

 

When you take surveys with LifePoints, you get to share your opinions and have your voice heard on some of the most important social issues which is a great step to creating a fair world. To learn more about how taking surveys with LifePoints can help you, read the 6 benefits of being a LifePoints member.

 

Have your voice heard with LifePoints today

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