Gender pay inequality: a myth? ...... Analysis by Sanjay Kapoor,Director & CEO - Iris-Corp

Gender pay inequality: a Myth?...... Analysis by Sanjay Kapoor,Director & CEO - Iris-Corp

Iris-Corp,Empowering HR


What are myths made of? In all probability, these are myriad creations which intrude upon reality for a while and vanish when the light of the day appears. Myths are like glowworms that shine only at night. Gender pay inequality not only exists, it is all-pervading. Far from being a myth, it is a stark reality which needs to be addressed in a bold and unambiguous manner. But the reverse has been perpetuated by persons who would like us to believe otherwise. Look around you without bias and you will encounter the unequal treatment meted out to women. Home is not the only place where women are discriminated against; workplaces are also the hub for denying women equal rights, whether it is in status, promotions or salaries.


People with contrary views are quick to pull out a list of women in high places and those who take home fat pay checks. These are but few in number and confined to selected pockets. But the protagonists of this queer logic squirm when asked to spell out the number of men-folk enjoying similar or higher perks. We need to accept the reality. The worth of women has never been assessed fairly for a host of reasons, most of which are in itself a myth. Let us dwell more on the pay gap and difficulties which women face after acquiring the same qualifications as their male counterparts.


In this male-dominated world, women have always played the second fiddle. Even in technologically advanced countries which profess to have an open society, women are relegated to the second position when it comes to giving them equal pay for equal work. Giving less pay to women is not only pervasive and widely prevalent; it is a quietly accepted fait accompli. Occasional voices are raised but the dust dies down soon and some cosmetic changes are made to subdue the weak resistance put up by the so-called weaker sex. It is a fact that gender pay inequality is a direct offshoot of discrimination against women and denying them their rights in every forum.


Statistics may not always give the factual position. At the same time, you cannot turn away your face when confronted with cold facts, no matter how unpalatable they may be. Even in U.S.A. a study found that for every dollar a man makes, a woman only earns 82 cents in their first year out of college. The gap gets wider with every passing year till the chasm is too wide to be filled. While it is true that men choose careers which offer a higher salary, there is no pay parity even in similar or identical roles. The gap only widens in male-dominated fields like sales and engineering. Obviously, there are political reasons for this disparity. Women do not have the clout in the corridors of power to pull the strings necessary to get a fair deal for their own fraternity.


Then there are others who believe that there is no gender pay inequality. Those who raise their voices against gender pay inequality are accused of pandering to the populist coterie. Of all people, they blame the women for choosing low-paying careers owing to their so-called inherent infirmities and different priorities. In the words of Steve Tobak, a contributor to Fox Business, “Many women sacrifice pay for all sorts of reasons including security, safety, flexibility, and fulfillment.” That may be true in a few cases where women place family obligations ahead of their career. But what about the majority which is equally qualified, skilled, ambitious and, arguably, more committed? Why do they get a raw deal? Just because men dominate jobs which are dangerous, physically more demanding and stressful and entail longer working hours, should they be getting higher salaries? Should we ignore the role played by women in contributing to men’s capability to handle such tasks without having to worry about their domestic obligations? The plight of women in the unorganized sector is really bad though organized women enjoy better pay and working conditions.


Gender pay-gap cannot be attributed to women’s preference for laid-back and easy-going jobs. The fact is that women are marginalized and not considered to be capable enough to be socially empowered. No doubt laws have been passed by many countries granting equal rights (and wages) for men and women. Yet the gender wage gap persists worldwide and is more conspicuous in under-developed countries. It is a fact that men earn more than women even in the same job, doing the same work and assuming the same responsibilities. Even in advanced countries like U.S.A. and U.K., where women are relatively more qualified than those in other countries, the gender pay inequality is a much debated topic. There's absolutely no logical reason why a male graduate would be seen as better than a female graduate. When it comes to better skills, women score higher than men in many vocations but still end up with lesser salaries. It would take a big change in corporate culture to reduce the gap. The embedded discrimination will take a long time to go away. It is heartening to know that serious thought is being given to this issue at all levels.


Some of the reasons for this wage gap are understandable. For example, consequences of breaks in career or part-time work due to childbearing, changing jobs due to husband’s relocation, making family obligations a priority can all result in clogging of a woman’s salary pipeline. Career interruptions experienced by women are decidedly more than that of their male counterparts. But these factors do not give a true picture of gender inequalities in terms of pay. Nor are we talking of work patterns or systems of wage setting. Inequality is inbuilt in our legal, social and economic system. Inequality of opportunity seldom finds a mention in forums that debate this issue. Whatever the reasons, women are unintended victims of this denial of opportunity. Pro-active policies and positive measures to enhance pay equity are sorely needed. Civil society has to speak in one voice and not justify wage inequalities, as some people tend to do.


An increased educational attainment and training, as well as increased work participation and labour-force attachment has narrowed the wage-gap to some extent in a few countries, noticeably U.S.A., Canada and partly in Europe. But this has little impact on the reasons for the inequalities. Discrimination cannot be measured or analyzed as a factor explaining the wage disparity. Part of the gender pay gap arises from the concentration of female and male employees in different sectors. For instance, the proportion of men is greater in construction and that of women in health care. But just think---why should a labor-intensive job be more paying than a job which needs utmost devotion, care and even emotional involvement at times. There again, the decision makers are all males who give more importance to brawn than brain. Those who debunk the gender wage gap lay the blame squarely on the attributes of men and women. A lot of women may value non-wage benefits more than men do. Married women, it is claimed, are too happy to take on an easy-going and less demanding job, allowing their spouses to be the senior earning partner. Women-oriented jobs are all too well-defined; Nurses, Secretaries, Teachers, Social Workers and a few others. Occupational segregation is rampant. Women are confined in a restricted number of sectors and professions. Undocumented restrictions on types of occupation and employment contribute not only to keeping women's income lower but also to a reduced entitlement to benefits from occupational pension schemes after retirement. It is rare to find women in high posts. Women are still under-represented in senior and headship roles. Blame it on lack of ambition if you like but the truth is that, as a matter of policy, women get a raw deal as far as pay parity is concerned. The wage-gap has hardly moved over the last 20-25 years. This situation is hardly going to improve over the coming years unless something radical is done to mind the gap.


Discrimination against women in recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, promotion, career paths, retention, and workplace culture is present across sectors. It cannot be explained away as a historical legacy. Men are more likely to earn a promotion to the higher level, other things being equal. Increased transparency and a change in perception is needed to mitigate gender bias. We at IRIS-Corp:a 360 degree HR Services provider, are committed to an equal pay structure, equal opportunity and equal treatment of women. A workplace-equality movement is already taking roots in all corners of the world. It is time to accept that gender wage gap is not solely on account of the choices made by women. It is more a result of reluctance of their male counterparts to yield the leadership slot to someone who, in their view, is likely to prove unequal to the task. IRIS-Corp pledges to dispel this notion.


Our Director Mr. Sanjay Kapoor is a firm believer in giving women their rightful due. In his words, “The interrelated factors that cause gender pay inequalities must be addressed. The impact of legitimate non-discriminatory factors is grossly over-estimated while debating the real issues. There is an urgent need for a broad legal framework which will force employers to respect women’s right for equal pay for equal work. A landmark piece of legislation will provide the basis for a new beginning. But above all, we have to make ourselves heard loud and clear. We still a long way to go before the elimination of gender discrimination at work is finally achieved and pay-parity becomes the norm, not the exception. I for one, on behalf of IRIS-Corp pledge that our quality policies will always translate into good practice”.

Thank You

Date post:	18-May-2015
Category:	Business
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