Female resignation rates in the HR sector are rapidly increasing, despite the fact that women are being promoted more readily than men.

These are the findings of the Chartered Management Institute and Remuneration Economics, which show that resignation rates amongst women in HR stand at 5.5 per cent, up from 4.7 per cent last year.

Despite the soaring numbers, HR is faring better when compared to other sectors. Female resignations are highest in the retail sector, where they have doubled to 11.7 per cent over the past year and, overall, women in the HR sector are amongst the least likely to resign.

Pay figures also reveal gaps in earning between the sexes. A 5.7 per cent increase in earnings for women in HR is met with a rise of 6.3 per cent for men. Amongst managers in the sector this equates to a gap, in real terms, of a huge £10,294.

Bonuses are also only worth 10.3 per cent of total female income in HR, compared to 14.9 per cent for men. At an actual value of £3,370, it is also 48.3 per cent lower than the amount received by men (£6,518).

The growing pay gap continues despite findings which suggest that women are being promoted more rapidly than men. At 37 years old, the average female team leader is five years younger than her male counterpart. This year’s survey shows 35.7 per cent of managers and directors are female, compared to 31 per cent, last year, in a sign that the number of women in the workforce is growing as a whole.

Jo Causon, director, marketing and corporate affairs at the Chartered Management Institute, said: “It is clear that the pull of promotion is not being matched by parity in pay. Despite the weight of legislation and the reality that reward should match responsibility, gender bias seems to be getting worse, not better.”

A total of 42,205 individuals were quizzed as part of the survey.