While many men believe pay and promotion are equal across genders at their workplace, government data and employee feedback indicate otherwise.
Ahead of International Women’s Day, new research from HiBob notes a gap between men’s perceptions of workplace equality and the experiences of women.
According to the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures, women working full-time earn 7 percent less than men on average. However, 76 percent of men surveyed believe their company pays people equally for the same role. Similarly, 69 percent of men believe women receive promotions based on performance, despite findings that over a quarter (26%) of working women were not promoted in pay, benefits or position in 2024, compared to 20 percent of men.
Pay rises and benefits also show a gender disparity. Seventy percent of men received a pay rise in 2024, while 26 percent saw an increase in benefits and 25 percent were promoted. This is 6 percent higher than women in all categories.
Slow Progress in Workplace Equality
Salary transparency remains inconsistent across UK businesses. Sixty-six percent of men believe their employer has full salary transparency, compared to 51 percent of women.
The findings also suggest that women face additional barriers in career progression beyond pay. Gender stereotyping in technical and leadership roles was identified by 36 percent of women as a challenge, while 34 percent cited career penalties related to maternal caregiving responsibilities. Work-life balance remains the most significant concern, with 49 percent of women seeing it as a key obstacle.
Ronni Zehavi, CEO and Co-Founder of HiBob, said, “Workplace change towards gender equality cannot be made without the more privileged group – in this case men, realising the significance of the challenge. While workplace equality has been a topic for the last decade and while many men are firm allies and on board with the action needed, change is slow-paced.
“When we reflect that a third of the workforce is employed in companies that have less than 25% of leadership roles filled by women, it is perhaps not shocking that progress remains slow.”
Workplace Harassment Still an Issue
The study reveals ongoing issues with workplace harassment. Almost one in four (24%) women report feeling uncomfortable or less qualified at work due to their gender. In the past five years, 36 percent of women have experienced workplace harassment, including bullying or intimidation (8%), unwelcome sexual comments or advances (7%) and verbal harassment (6%).
Despite these experiences, 73 percent of men believe their workplace’s approach to harassment is supportive, with 41 percent describing it as ‘very supportive and proactive’. In contrast, 16 percent of women consider their employer’s response to harassment unclear, unsupportive or actively discouraging.
Zehavi added, “Today’s research shows that male workers believe progress is significantly further ahead than it is – and this needs to change. To create a culture where change happens and is felt by every employee, companies need to increase awareness of the scale of inequality in the workplace, helping each employee understand the challenges and experiences others are facing. Allyship, as well as practical action by leaders, will help move the needle at the speed we need it to go now.”
With persistent disparities in pay, promotion and harassment, the report calls for organisations to address workplace equality more effectively by ensuring transparency, supporting women’s career progression and fostering inclusive workplace cultures.
