Women working in the commercial property sector are paid 37% less than their male counterparts, according to research.
The findings of the survey, produced by Personnel Today sister publication Estates Gazette and recrutiment firm PSD, will reinforce calls for government action to plug the gender pay gap.
The government’s Women and Work Commission is expected to recommend mandatory pay audits in its interim report tomorrow.
The Estates Gazette survey reveals that the average salary across the sector is almost £51,800, but that the average woman is paid £35,670.
Staff in the sector were rewarded with bonuses averaging £9,740 and inflation-busting salary increases of 5.6%, the research shows. Good salaries are also on offer from relatively young ages – the average pay for 26- to 35-year olds is £40,310.
“Year on year we’ve seen salaries increasing by between 5% and 6%,” said Dominic Rushby, business manager at PSD.
“However, the bonuses have increased more because they’re based on performance, so they can be increased quickly in a good year and retracted in a bad one.
“The recent good performance of the property market means that it makes sense for people to receive a reasonable basic salary, but their big ticket is bonuses,” he added.
