The expert spoke about the wage gap between women and men

The wage level of women was about 70% relative to the income level of men, the wage gap reached 30.4% last year. Alexander Safonov, Professor of the Department of Psychology and Human Capital Development at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Mass Communications of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, told about this on June 7.

"The average accrued salary for women in 2024 was 61.1 thousand rubles, for men — 87.7 thousand rubles. The average economic ratio was 69.6%. The smallest gap was in education: women's salaries were 95.3% of men's salaries, and the largest gap in information technology was 65.5%," the expert told RIA Novosti.

Safonov noted that there are several reasons why the wage gap between men and women persists. One of them is the employment structure, that is, women work in industries where wages are lower than in other economic sectors. In particular, their share prevails in healthcare, education and social services, as well as in the fields of culture, leisure and sports.

"The proportion of women among workers in low—paid commercial industries is also high: 62% in trade, 74% in hotels and catering," the expert said.

According to the professor, men are more likely to occupy leadership positions, take extra hours, and also work in dangerous and harmful conditions, for which additional payments are provided.

The second reason for the salary difference, Safonov continued, is the participation of women in caring for family members and running the household. Women are more likely to take sick leave if a child is ill, and they also try to choose a work schedule that allows them to deal with family matters. All this is becoming the reason for women's lower mobility in the labor market — the refusal to switch to a new, better-paid job, the specialist explained.

Another factor is the stereotypes of employers about the alleged unreliability of women as performers, as they may go on maternity leave. At the same time, women are more educated, they are much less likely to choose working professions, Safonov emphasized.

Time and money: who's in charge of the labor market now

Why are the salaries of zoomers and millennials growing faster than others

Level Group researchers reported on July 2 that a third of young Russians believe that practical skills are more important than a diploma when applying for a job. It was clarified that 35% of the respondents are guided by experience rather than education, but the majority (47%) primarily look at the salary level when choosing a job. Only 8% go to a place where they can gain experience quickly, and only 3% are guided by the company's values and mission.