Workplace gender equality remains an ongoing challenge, yet many men think they have already achieved it. HiBob’s latest Women in the Workplace report reveals that 76% of working men believe employers pay men and women equally. However, the reality is much different, as Office for National Statistics data shows that women working full-time still earn 7% less than men on average.
The TUC reported an even wider gender pay gap of 13.1% earlier this month. Promotion opportunities also reveal disparities. While 26% of women reported receiving no increase in pay, benefits, or position in the past year, only 20% of men experienced the same stagnation. Despite this, nearly seven in ten men (69%) believe promotions are based purely on performance rather than gender.
The hidden nature of inequality
One reason for this perception gap is that gender discrimination often happens behind closed doors—during salary negotiations, leadership decisions, and promotion discussions.
This perception extends beyond pay and promotions. Workplace harassment remains a significant issue, with 36% of women experiencing harassment in the last five years, including bullying, unwelcome sexual advances, and verbal abuse. Yet, 73% of men describe their company’s approach to harassment as “supportive,” and 41% call it “very supportive and proactive.” However, 16% of women feel their employer’s approach is unclear, unsupportive, or discouraging.
A call for change
Ronni Zehavi, CEO and co-founder at HiBob said that workplace culture had to change so that men could gain a more realistic view of equality.
He said: “Workplace change towards gender equality cannot be made without the more privileged group – in this case, men – realising the significance of the challenge. 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 face.”
Salary transparency could be a key step in closing the gap. While 66% of men believe their employer has full salary transparency, only 51% of women agree. Greater transparency and awareness are crucial for dismantling these inequalities and ensuring that progress toward true workplace equality becomes a reality, not just a perception.