5 revealing statistics on what people think about the gender pay gap
Currently, in Australia, the gender pay gap is 13.3%.
This means that in Australia the average man earns 13.3% more than the average woman. People hold different opinions on the gender pay gap, so we decided to see what our LifePoints community thinks about the matter. We asked a range of questions to the community, including their perceptions on the accessibility of equal opportunities, the adequacy of female representation in leadership roles, and the potential gender biases in certain roles.
The community happily shared their opinions, and they didn’t disappoint us by giving some great responses. Read on to understand the basics of the pay gap, see how LifePoints members view the issues and celebrate some of the most successful women in Australia.
Basic questions about the gender pay gap
So, what is the gender pay gap anyway?
The gender pay gap is the difference between how much the average man makes and how much the average woman makes. There are a lot of factors to consider, but the Australian government defines the gender pay gap the as “the difference between the average earnings of women and men.”
What is the gender pay gap in Australia?
According to the latest statistics in Australia, the gender pay gap is 13.3%.
Why does the gender pay gap exist?
There are a lot of reasons why there is a gender pay gap, including:
- Social pressure for women to pursue lower-paying jobs
- When interviewing for a job women might get a lower salary offer
- Women take more time off work to raise families
- More men in senior leadership positions make it hard for women to get the highest salaries
- Men can often be more likely to negotiate a higher salary
How to calculate the gender pay gap
Calculating the gender pay gap is easy. The salary of every woman in the country is lined up to find the middle salary. This is repeated to find the middle salary for men and the 2 numbers are compared. In Australia, this is measured as a percentage, with men currently earning 13.3% more than women.
5 revealing statistics that show how people view the gender pay gap
LifePoints community members were asked what they think about the gender pay gap, and over 600 people shared their opinion. Here’s what they think:
LifePoints community believes there aren’t enough female leaders
LifePoints community said that there aren’t enough female leaders in the world, with 52% of people saying there aren’t enough women in senior positions.
One-third of people think that men and women don’t get paid comparably for doing the same job
One question the LifePoints community answered was, if women and men were paid comparably for doing the same job. 33% of people said women are not paid equally.
People can’t decide if some jobs are made for men and some are made for women
The question that caused the most division in the community was whether some jobs are gender-specific. 40.7% of people said some jobs were made for men. 28.6% of people said jobs weren’t made for either gender, and 30.7% of people said some jobs were made for men and some were made for women.
Men are more likely to believe that career opportunities are the same for men and women
One question the LifePoints community answered was if career opportunities are the same for everyone. More men believed that people are offered the same opportunities with 75.2% of men agreeing that there are same opportunities. Only 53.9% of women agreed to having same opportunities.
4 out of 5 people think society has progressed and become more equal in the last 10 years
The LifePoints community agreed that things have progressed towards a more equal world in the last decade.
3 successful women to celebrate
The gender pay gap still presents challenges and there’s still a way to go. So now is a great chance to celebrate the achievements of some of Australia’s best. From award-winning actresses to businesswomen, these women have achieved a lot in their careers.
Cate Blanchett
Cate Blanchett is Australian royalty of actors and actresses. In her career, she’s won multiple awards, including two Oscars and three Golden Globes for various performances. Cate has also done a lot of philanthropy in her career, including serving as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations, helping thousands of people all over the world.
Gina Rinehart
Gina Rinehart is one of the most successful businesswomen not only in Australia but in the whole world. Named Forbes’ wealthiest woman in the world in 2019, she has a net worth of over $14 billion. Gina is currently the chairperson of Hancock Prospecting, a mining and agriculture company. As chairperson of Hancock Prospecting, Gina is one of the most influential women in the world and has been named on Forbes' list of "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women.”
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman has had a fantastic career as an actress and producer. In 2003 Nicole won an Oscar for best actress for her role in “The Hours.” This was her first time winning an Oscar, but she has been nominated 5 times in total. As well as her Oscar, Kidman has won a Primetime Emmy and a Golden Globe. Like Cate Blanchett, Nicole is a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, which is just one part of her humanitarian efforts.
Share your opinions on gender pay gap and many other important matters and get paid at the same time
Gender pay gap still presents challenges, so sharing your voice is important. When you take surveys with LifePoints you get to have your voice heard on some of the most important issues, including topics like the gender pay gap. What you say in the surveys is shared directly with people who make important decisions, which makes surveys one of the best ways to have your voice heard on the topics.
When you take a survey you get points, called LifePoints, which you can exchange for a fantastic reward. Your reward safety is important, so check out our guide on how to shop safely online.
Share your opinion with LifePoints today
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