With gender pay gaps now revealed, inclusion should be a priority for all of us

Last month, UK organisations with more than 250 employees were required by law to publish their gender pay gap figures. With reported figures of a gender pay gap of over 50% in some parts of the economy, this is depressing reading. 

At SOAS, our gender pay gap is just under 10%, which is below the wider university sector average of 14% – and the last two years have seen a significant increase in the proportion of women in senior management (from 37% to 57%). However, there is still a lot more work that needs to be done.  

Within the UK, one of the main drivers of the gender pay gap is occupational segmentation: women are under-represented in higher paid roles

Within the UK, one of the main drivers of the gender pay gap is occupational segmentation: women are under-represented in higher paid roles. At SOAS, despite having a number of women in leadership positions, overall we have fewer women in senior academic roles – and even fewer when we look at BME staff. Our latest Equality and Diversity report showed that we had only two black staff members at the level of Professor. This has to change.

In higher education, women make up around 27% of Vice-Chancellors in the UK. It has taken us a long time to get to this point and whilst the pace of change has quickened our efforts need to remain focussed on bringing about long term, sustained reform. We cannot afford to be complacent. Despite the progress made, gender discrimination remains deep rooted in Britain. Around 46% per cent of women participate in the labour market, yet women make up only 22% of leadership positions.

When I was appointed to a senior role in a local authority I had to endure endless patronising behaviour and difficult situations, but I used all of this as part of my personal learning. I survived because I am very resilient and I don’t like to fail. But it wasn’t easy.

There are a range of factors that influence how young women perceive themselves and how they think about their career progression. When I was appointed to a senior role in a local authority I was considered very young for the role. Everyone in the senior management team (all men) had applied for the job at some point and not got it, and many assumed that I only got the job because I was a black woman. I had to endure endless patronising behaviour and difficult situations, but I used all of this as part of my personal learning. I survived because I am very resilient and I don’t like to fail. But it wasn’t easy.

We need to give women the tools to help overcome the challenges they may face. Quotas often come up as a way of addressing the gender pay gap, but most women are against it because they want to be judged on merit

The playing field is still not level – and the gender pay gap shows this clearly. We need to give women the tools to help overcome the challenges they may face. Quotas often come up as a way of addressing the gender pay gap, but most women are against it because they want to be judged on merit and think that quotas imply that they got a job because of being a women. Not because they were the best. 

The gender pay gap should make all stop and think whether we are doing enough to ensure equality within our organisations. Leaders must realise that we have to drive organisational change, it doesn’t happen quickly enough. Inclusion should be a priority for all of us.