Lifetime gender pay gaps
The Ages and Wages report draws on data from more than 7,400 employers, representing over 5.1 million employees across 19 industries. It examines how the gender pay gap evolves at different career stages and identifies workplace practices that contribute to the disparity.
Key findings include:
- Early career shift: Women entering the workforce in their late teens earn slightly more than men on average. However, by ages 20-24, the gap shifts in favour of men and continues to widen
- Peak disparity: Between ages 55-59, the average total remuneration gap reaches 31.4 per cent, equating to a difference of nearly $53,000 per year
- Turning point: Around age 30, the gap begins to accelerate. Contributing factors include limited access to part-time management roles and bonus structures that disproportionately benefit men
- Cumulative impact: Over a working life from age 15 to 67, women earn approximately $1.5 million less than men on average.
Employer practices and recommendations
The report identifies several workplace practices that influence pay outcomes:
- Lack of flexible senior roles
- Salary negotiations based on previous earnings
- Unequal access to parental leave and long-hours work culture.
WGEA recommends actions such as:
- Offering part-time or job-share manager roles to all employees
- Pricing roles based on market value rather than candidate history
- Setting gender-balance targets for roles and occupations (e.g., 40 per cent women, 40 per cent men).
The report also notes that these changes could benefit men by addressing issues like work-life balance and access to flexible arrangements.
WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said the findings highlight the need for targeted action: “Our report shows how key employer interventions at critical times could reduce the gender pay gap and improve women’s ability to earn and save for retirement.
“It provides insight into how those same actions can help address men’s concerns including lack of flexibility, long-hours work culture and fair and equal access to parental leave.
“We’re asking employers to change the story and shape the future. Taking at least one of these actions this year will make your workplace fairer.”
