Aussie men are neglectful of the gender pay gap
New study reveals men are oblivious to a rift in equality.
The overwhelming majority of Aussie men feel gender inequality doesn't exist in their line of work, according to new research data.
A gender bias study, commissioned by Westpac, revealed that 81% of men think women within their industry earn equal levels of pay and remunerations, while 96% of men under 25 are adamant gender pay gaps aren't present in their industry.
While most men across all age categories were aware of a general societal gender bias, only 15% of respondents aged 18-65 conceded there was issues of pay inequality within the workplace.
The AFR reports research carried out by Westpac earlier this year found that full-time starting pay for women was around 12% less than that of men. This gap is reportedly consistent throughout the span of a woman's career.
This gap is estimated to be worth about $123 billion each year.
Westpac director of women's markets, inclusion and diversity, Ainslie van Onselen says that when men were informed of the existence of a gender pay divide in 2016, younger generations were more concerned and upset than older men.
Pay audits play a vital role in identifying salary gaps and gender disparity, believes van Onselen.
"Transparency of pay and promotion processes is important to women [and] that recognition of pay equality and having a pay audit is really key to that," she says.
The research also revealed women incorrectly assume men aren't interested in addressing gender bias, suggesting that men think the issue irrelevant or too challenging to be corrected. However, the data suggested that there may be a perception gap between men and women due to lack of awareness rather than a wilful ambivalence.
Women continue to be over-represented among the award reliant and low paid but a recent increase in Australia's minimum wage may provide some assistance in addressing the gender pay gap.
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