Growing gender pay gap in European Life Sciences sector, doctors on strike, support for working parents and other news worth sharing this week

The latest ‘need to know’ news from Kelly thankfully does not include any more workplace trends this week. With bare-minimum Mondays and quiet quitting still sticking around, that’s one thing to be relieved about!

The rest of the news we’ve gathered is a mixed bag. The UK, for example, has just announced a multi-billion pound package to coax workers back to work. It includes expanded access to childcare, pension reforms, and an overhaul of the welfare system. This will raise the cap on how much workers can save, tax-free, each year. Parents with children aged 9 months and over will join those with three- and four-year olds in being entitled to 30 hours of free childcare a week by September 2025. The reforms also include measures to ensure that disabled benefit claimants are able to seek work without losing financial support. By looking out for parents, low-income families trying to save and people with disabilities we create a stronger workforce and a fairer society – a win-win situation.

Sadly, other news from the UK is not so happy. Tens of thousands of junior doctors took part in a three-day strike last week over being overworked, underpaid and struggling with high student debt, especially during the current cost of living crisis. People are increasingly standing up for their right to earn a fair wage and enjoy reasonable work-life balance.

When it comes to mental health benefits, we know they are an important part of the overall benefits. But according to a new survey from Securian Financial, well over half of workers have made use of them, which could come as a surprise to some. But there remains a generational divide. Broken down by age group, this works out as: 76% of younger millennials, 72% of older millennials, 73% of gen Z workers, 58% of gen X workers, and just 49% of baby boomers.?And 65% of gen Z, 60% of younger millennials, 59% of older millennials, 49% of gen X, and 45% of baby boomers say it is ‘very important that their employer provides mental wellness resources and benefits’. By responding to this demand from people entering the workforce, employers can better serve all of their employees.

And finally, a new report by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association (HBA), shows Europe's Life Sciences sector has seen an increase in the gender pay gap between men and women. This is not news that we want to hear, especially not when the survey included over 50,000 respondents. The median pay gap increased from 11.5% to 14.4% in the past two years and since 2020, 12 out of 19 countries have seen the gap increase – an alarming figure. It’s time for us all to look at this trend and see if it is continued in our own organisations and, if so, how we can reverse it.

There is plenty more to read about here to help you discover this week’s news and trends in the world of work, so you can focus on your core business.