The Gender Pay Gap: How Much Do Men and Women Really Earn Differently?
Stepstone Magazine addresses this topic in its coverage of the “Gender Pay Gap 2023” and includes insights from Prof. Dr. Alexandra Niessen‑Ruenzi, holder of the Chair of Corporate Governance.
The calculation of the unadjusted gender pay gap from the StepStone Salary Report 2023 shows that women earn 13.06 percent less in gross salary than men every year. According to Niessen-Ruenzi, the main reasons for this are that women are more likely to work in low-paid jobs and often reduce their working hours when they become mothers.
Prof. Niessen-Ruenzi also emphasizes that although the gender pay gap has narrowed since the 1980s, it has only decreased very slowly in recent years. Among other things, she attributes this tendency towards stagnation to structural deficits and social stigmas regarding childcare. Employers could also make it easier for parents, for example through flexible home office arrangements.