Talent Monitor | Labor market movements: the men versus the women

It is no surprise that there is (unconscious) bias among recruiters, clients or employers when it comes to attracting male and female workers. At least a few times a year, newspapers headline the huge salary gap between the two genders. However, when it comes to professionals, the difference in hourly rates has become very small and, more importantly, no longer statistically explainable by gender.

Still, the results of this Talent Monitor raise eyebrows. Examples of salient conclusions are that:

• Women receive or accept, not significantly but structurally, a lower rate than men for the same work. This makes an average difference of 1 to 2 euros per hour.
• Factors such as work experience, field of study and level of education do determine different hourly rates, as does the extent to which being an independent professional is the main daily activity. In other words, independent professionals who combine their work with other activities such as volunteering, being a househusband or housewife tend to receive lower hourly rates.
• Women are more successful than men in obtaining assignments. Female independent professionals without an agency are 68% more successful in scoring an assignment than male independent professionals without an agency.
• Independent professionals without an agency are more successful in scoring an assignment than if offered through an agency.
• Male professionals are much more active in the job market than women and are approached remarkably more than women.

These and several surprising insights highlight yet again how important it is to use data to measure efforts and avoid bias. Not to mention to benchmark with market and audience data. Gut feeling no longer represents market dynamics. Organizations that have their numbers, both internal and external, in order are demonstrably more successful in mediation, growth and profitability.

The full report is available for free download at headfirst.group.

About Talent Monitor

Intelligence Group and HeadFirst Group, of which Striive is part of, make available unique insights on labor market related themes on a quarterly basis based on Intelligence Group's recruitment and labor market data, combined with HeadFirst Group's hiring data. Both data sources are stored in a structured way, in accordance with the ISCO standard.