The gender pay gap in the HR profession is widening, even when men and women are carrying out like for like jobs and despite the obligations imposed by equal pay legislation.
These are the shocking findings from the annual Personnel and Payroll Salary Survey by Pay Magazine.
The research also reveals that the higher the salary the wider the pay gap stretches. Twice as many men (20%) earn over £40,000, compared with a mere 10% of women. Similarly, more than double the number of men (7%) earn over £50,000 compared with women (3%).
Sixty-six per cent of women earn less than £30,000 while only 40% of men earn less than this. This gap of 26% is an increase of 4% on the 2003 survey.
Even when men and women do the same jobs, men consistently earn more.
The survey reveals that 22% of male senior payroll managers earn over £30,000. Only 7% of their female colleagues – with exactly the same job titles earn similar amounts.
According to the findings, HR and payroll workers as a whole are dipping out in comparisons made with other professions. An average HR senior manager earns £12,500 less than a senior manager in another field while an HR middle manager earns £14,000 less than a managerial role at the same level.
HR and payroll directors in the survey earn just £45,725 compared to directors in other professions who earn an average £108,938 a year.
Other findings include:
- The average salary in HR and payroll is £29,210 a year, an annual increase of 3.69%
- The best salaries are paid to those working in finance/banking/ insurance, IT/telecoms and software houses/bureaux
- The lowest salaries are paid to HR and payroll professionals in leisure/tourism, business services, and retail
- The salaries of younger HR and payroll professionals are increasing as more enter the industries and push salaries up
- Fewer men have HR or payroll qualifications than women, but those who do have higher qualifications and are subsequently paid more
- 13% of HR/payroll professionals work more than 46 hours a week, and working hours are increasing
Anna Scott, editor of Pay Magazine, adds: “Worryingly, the survey shows that the gender pay gap in personnel and payroll is widening. This is especially concerning in a profession where salary and gender issues are fundamental. HR and payroll should be leading the way in equal pay issues. Hopefully, with the government’s Women and Work commission, this matter can be addressed.”
A total of 491 organisations were surveyed.
A recent survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and Croner shows that reward remains the best paid role within the sector.
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