Matters of the wage gap and surrounding controversies have roared over the course of history. The issue is an emotive topic in the world of contemporary business. While others justify the need for that due to intrinsic gender differences, others have lambasted this gap as it is discriminatory. The controversies are not about to end any time soon, especially with the ever-growing complexity of the job market. Globally, on average working males are paid higher than working females. According to statistics in the US, females earn twenty-cent less for every dollar a man earns. While this wage difference is seen as discrimination against women, others argue that it is due to reasonable production factors. The gender wage gap is determined by factors like differences in employment choices between men and women, the disparity in work experience, education level between both genders, and differences in the physical demands of jobs.
Employment choices vary
between women and men generally. Women, most of the time, choose flexible jobs
so that they can accommodate their motherhood/parenting responsibilities.
Unlike men, women will generally prefer not to work overtime out of preference
so as to spend more time with their families. This is especially in women who
have families and children. In terms of
overtime and extra work, men generally are flexible and will push beyond the
normal limits. As a result, it is okay for the wage bill to be higher in men as
compared to women. This cuts across developed and developing countries, and is
a common issue in the corporate sector.
For long, the corporate sector
has been male-dominated. The female empowerment drive has recently tried to
turn this tide, but the truth is that in the corporate sector, men outnumber
women, especially in executive and managerial positions. Gender equality in
the workplace is pushing to change these statistics and it will be expected
that in the future, the top managers and executives will have a 50/50 balance. As a
result of this gender disparity ion hiring and in managerial positions, it is
therefore normal to have a gender wage gap. Even in the lower cadres of
employment, men will generally dominate women in numbers. This is especially in
careers like engineering and fieldwork. The number disparity also translates to
a wage disparity.
Intrinsic physical and
physiological differences between men and women also determine career choices.
As a result, men will take roles that need intense physical strength and
manliness. It is not abnormal to get more men in the field, of engineering and in
the construction industry. This does not in any way allude to the fact that
women cannot work in these sectors. But generally, men will dominate some
sectors due to physical strength. Some careers will also favor women over men,
and even in some careers that do not necessarily depend on physicality, men may
take on some roles at a higher rate than women may. For instance, in medicine,
orthopedic surgeons have a male preponderance, as it requires strength and
power generally. Labor-intensive careers will attract more men and as a result,
the wage disparity between men and women in the job market is justified.
Moreover, these jobs that demand more will obviously pay and compensate more. Therefore,
an employed nurse who is a female earns less than an employed construction worker.
