Female white collar staff earn 15% less than male colleagues

According to a study by the HR management and support services company Partena Professional, women working in white collar jobs in Belgium earn an average of 15% less than their male colleagues. Partena Professional surveyed 100,000 white collar staff for its study, the results of which were released on Friday. The 15% pay gap is between female and male employees with the same skills, working in the same branches of industry. The pay gap widens as their career progresses.

The 15% average pay cap equates to women earning 500 euro/month gross less than man doing the same job.

At the start of their careers women working in white collar jobs earn an average of 7% less than men. However, over the years the pay gap grows to 20% by the end of their careers.

The pay differential between women and men starts to grow the quickest between the ages of 30 and 40 when many couples start a family. As, even in this day and age, it is mainly women that are the primary child carers they are sometimes absent from work for a few years or work part time. Meanwhile, men are able to further their careers with the positive financial implications that this brings with it. The wage gap that occurs as a result of this is never bridged.

On average women that are under 30 earn 180 euro/month gross less than their male colleagues. This is 650 euro/month gross in the case of women over 50.

The average 15% wage gap in 2018 is 2% lower than the 17% wage gap that was recorded in 2010.

Women are also less likely to be given a company car than men. A male employee is twice as likely to be given a company car as a female employee.


The author: Michel DEURINCK

Michel Deurinck, born in Brussels in 1950, started his career in the Belgian civil service, dedicating over 30 years to public service. Upon retirement, he pursued his passion for journalism. Transitioning into this new field, he quickly gained recognition for his insightful reporting on politics and culture. Deurinck's balanced and thoughtful approach to journalism has made him a respected figure in Belgian media.

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