Gender pay gap could take 170 years to close

Despite the pay gap in the UK steadily closing, the average woman in the workplace still earns 9.1 per cent less than the average man, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Instant Offices looked into this further and discovered that men working full time earned an average of £592 a week in April compared to the £494 earned by women in the same period.

The World Economic Forum has since revealed it could take 170 years to close the gender pay gap on a global level.

The ONS states that in the UK there are a number of reasons for the wage disparity, including women working in lower-paid jobs, as well as being underrepresented in senior roles.

Additionally, 41 per cent of women work part-time compared to the 12 per cent of men, which could mean a lower rate of pay.

Companies are taking steps to bridge the gap, as businesses with 250 employees or more are required to publicly report on their gender pay gap as a result of new government legislation that came into effect in April 2017.

There are various ways companies can help to alter the gender pay gap, for example businesses could introduce remote working, give female employees a pay rise, subsidise childcare and incentivise paternity leave.