Men and women: Equal work, not always equal pay
27 February 2025 · 4 min reading time
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See job offersThe gender pay gap remains a major issue in 2025. In France, the average net salary difference reached 14.9% in 2022 for equivalent working hours. This figure increases to 23.5% when considering all types of contracts, revealing a persistent disparity.
Definition and Reality of Gender Pay Inequality
What is meant by "pay inequality"?
Pay inequality refers to the differences in remuneration observed between employees, even when they hold similar positions or have equivalent skills. These disparities can be expressed as a percentage or in monetary value and are generally measured at two levels:
- The gross gap: This corresponds to the difference between salaries before the deduction of social security contributions and taxes.
- The net gap: This reflects the difference between remuneration after these deductions, i.e., the amount actually received by employees.
These gaps can be explained by various factors, ranging from direct or indirect discrimination to differences in work organization, career choices, or individual negotiations. Thus, understanding pay inequality involves analyzing both numerical data and the contexts in which these gaps occur.
The gender pay gap in figures
To understand the extent of the inequalities, some figures clearly illustrate the current situation in France:
- Gap for equal work: According to INSEE, in 2024, a woman earned on average about 14% less than a man for an equivalent position.
- Impact of part-time work: Nearly 26.5% of active women hold part-time jobs, compared to only 7% of men, which contributes to widening the overall pay gap.
- Sectoral variations: Disparities vary greatly by sector. In some industries, particularly those historically male-dominated, the gap can be more pronounced, while in the public sector, it tends to be smaller, although inequalities persist.
The different methods of calculating pay gaps each reveal a distinct aspect of reality. For example, an overall gap of 23.5% reflects what each person actually receives, taking into account the number of hours worked – thus including the use of part-time work, often chosen or imposed. On the other hand, when comparing full-time employees in similar positions, the gap drops to around 4%. This latter figure highlights direct discrimination while masking structural inequalities that exist upstream, such as the prevalence of involuntary part-time work, career orientation influenced from a young age, and the undervaluation of historically feminized sectors.
These figures and calculation methods show that, despite significant progress, there is still a long way to go to achieve true pay equality.
A pay gap that tends to narrow
For full-time work, women's income remains 14.9% lower than men's. In 1995, this gap was 22.1%, which shows a clear improvement over the years. This reduction is mainly explained by the evolution of social norms and structures, which today offer women better access to responsible and better-paid positions.
How to explain the gender pay gap?
The pay gaps between men and women are explained by a set of factors that are both structural, cultural, and behavioral. Although many laws in favor of professional equality have emerged, disparities persist, a testament to a complex and multifaceted reality.
Direct and indirect discrimination
Direct discrimination
Even when skills and responsibilities are equivalent, it happens that a woman receives lower pay than a man, solely because of her gender. Although this behavior is increasingly denounced and sanctioned, it remains present, particularly during recruitment or in certain professional environments.
Indirect discrimination
These more subtle inequalities result from internal practices that, without explicitly targeting women, lead to disadvantages. For example, some companies impose promotion criteria requiring continuous availability and permanent geographical mobility. These requirements particularly penalize employees who bear a significant family burden, a situation often linked to traditional social norms rather than an individual choice.
In addition, during informal salary negotiations, men, often more comfortable or better prepared to negotiate, frequently obtain better conditions. Finally, biases during recruitment can also occur when a recruiter favors a male candidate for a technical position, wrongly assuming that he would be "more competent" or "more invested" than his female counterpart.
Effects of part-time work and parenthood
Part-time work
Women are largely overrepresented in part-time jobs, often due to constraints related to childcare or family obligations. For example, according to INSEE (2023 data), approximately 26% of active women work part-time, compared to only 7.8% of men. Working part-time mechanically reduces total remuneration and limits career advancement prospects.
Maternity and parental leave
Career interruptions due to parenthood have a medium- and long-term impact on salaries. During these periods, not only is income reduced, but it can also delay professional advancement, with fewer promotions or responsibilities entrusted.
Work organization
Some organizations offer atypical hours, late meetings, or value a culture of presenteeism, which can penalize those with family obligations. In practice, this often forces women to give up certain opportunities or positions of responsibility.
Gender stereotypes and occupational segregation
Career choices are often influenced by outdated clichés. Many women move towards traditionally lower-paying sectors – such as early childhood education, personal services, or teaching – while men are predominantly found in fields such as IT, engineering, or finance, which benefit from better salary valuation.
It is also observed that female-dominated professions, despite their crucial role in our society (health, education, etc.), are less well paid. Furthermore, preconceived ideas persist, suggesting that women are "less ambitious" or less suited to technical professions, which influences not only the decisions of recruiters and managers but also women's perception of their own abilities.
Good to know 👀 Studies show that these stereotypes begin in childhood. Encouraging non-gendered education and promoting diverse role models can help change things in the long term.
In short, these inequalities originate from a set of factors – persistent prejudices, ingrained traditions, and professional choices influenced from a young age. To move towards greater equity, it is essential to rethink these patterns, promote transparent salary negotiation, strengthen gender diversity in all sectors, and review work organization.
What are the jobs where women earn less than men?
According to INSEE, the gender pay gap for equal work amounted to nearly 14% in 2024, a sign that much remains to be done to achieve true pay equality. This gap varies depending on the sector and the positions held. Certain professions and branches of activity show particularly marked disparities, due to various factors such as:
- The historical legacy of jobs traditionally associated with a gender (male or female)
- Persistent gender stereotypes in the professional world
- Recruitment and promotion practices that sometimes unconsciously favor men
Let's look together at the jobs and sectors most affected by these disparities:
Most affected sectors in France
Finance and insurance
High-responsibility positions (management, fund management, trading, etc.) are often less accessible to women, or they are less promoted in these roles.
Pay gaps are particularly high there, mainly due to bonuses and premiums, often negotiated individually.
Industry and construction
Historically, these sectors have been predominantly male. Women are less represented there, especially in technical and managerial positions.
The lack of women in better-paid professions (engineering, site management) contributes to increasing the average pay gap.
Digital technology and new technologies
Although the digital sector offers many jobs of the future, women are still underrepresented, particularly in technical roles (development, data science).
Opportunities for advancement are significant there, but women may experience bias in hiring and during salary negotiations.
Certain high value-added service professions
For example, in strategy consulting or marketing, management or director positions are often held by men.
Beyond these examples, it is important to note that the pay gap also depends on the size of the company, its internal culture, and the HR policies implemented. Large companies with active professional equality policies may sometimes show smaller gaps, while other less regulated sectors remain very unequal.
Professions where the gap reverses or narrows (yes, there are some)
There are, however, areas where women's remuneration is sometimes equal to or greater than that of men:
- Modeling and certain artistic sectors: In fashion, for example, female models are sometimes better paid than their male counterparts due to higher demand in fashion shows, advertising campaigns, etc.
- Certain healthcare professions: In the public hospital sector, salary scales are established more transparently. However, the gap sometimes widens in hospitals when accessing positions of responsibility (department head, establishment director), still predominantly occupied by men.
- The public sector: Salaries are theoretically more regulated by index scales, which reduces the possibilities of arbitrary gaps. Nevertheless, inequality persists when taking into account bonuses and career advancement prospects.
In summary, the extent of pay inequality varies greatly depending on the profession: certain private sectors, particularly competitive or poorly regulated, show more pronounced gaps, while other areas with a more transparent salary framework offer better equal treatment. However, even when the gap is less visible at first glance, it can reappear when accessing positions of responsibility or through bonuses and premiums. The challenge, therefore, is to change mindsets, encourage women's career paths in all sectors, and strengthen transparency on remuneration.
The legislative framework and initiatives for pay equality
In France, equal pay between women and men has been a legal obligation for several decades. However, the persistence of pay gaps has led the government and social partners to progressively strengthen legislative and regulatory mechanisms. Here is an overview of the main measures and initiatives put in place to encourage (and compel) companies to effectively combat pay inequality.
The main laws in force in France
To combat pay inequality, several legislative measures and measurement tools have been put in place. Among them:
The Egapro Index: Mandatory for companies with more than 50 employees, this index assesses various indicators such as the pay gap, career progression, and access to training. Each year, companies must calculate and publish their score.
At Staffmatch, we are proud to have obtained a score of 91/100, which reflects our constant commitment to pay equality. This result demonstrates our determination to promote a fairer and more equitable work environment, where every employee has the same opportunities for success.
The Copé-Zimmermann Law (2011): Initially intended to ensure balanced representation on boards of directors, it indirectly helps pave the way for fairer professional development for women.
The Rixain Law (2021): This law aims to strengthen economic and professional equality by imposing increased gender diversity requirements in management bodies and by publishing statistics on representation and pay gaps.
These measures, combined with regular inspections by the Labor Inspectorate and financial penalties for non-compliance, push companies to implement concrete policies to reduce pay gaps. For us, these tools are not just a performance indicator: they reflect our desire to act for a fairer and more balanced world of work.
Best practices and recommendations to reduce the pay gap
To sustainably reduce the pay gap between men and women, it is essential to implement a series of concrete and measurable actions. These recommendations aim to identify disparities, establish transparent processes, and promote equitable career development.
Implement an internal diagnosis
The first step is to conduct a thorough diagnosis within the company to precisely understand the sources of pay inequality. To do this, it is recommended to:
- Audit salaries: Conduct a detailed study of remuneration (base salary, bonuses, benefits in kind) to identify unjustified gender pay gaps.
- Implement indicators: Track key indicators such as the percentage of average pay gap between men and women, and analyze the evolution of these figures over a given period.
- Analyze the salary scale: Evaluate the salary structure to detect any inconsistencies or biases in the setting of salaries and career progression.
This diagnosis must be periodic, allowing for adjustments to internal policies based on progress made and new data collected.
Strategies to promote equality
To establish a true culture of equality within the company, several strategies can be adopted:
- Salary transparency: Encourage the publication of salary scales and progression criteria so that everyone can understand and compare salary levels.
- Management training: Sensitize and train managers on unconscious biases and the challenges of pay equality so that they conduct objective and equitable evaluations.
- Mentoring and support: Implement mentoring programs to support women in their professional development and help them access positions of responsibility.
- Structured negotiation processes: Implement transparent and regulated salary negotiations, promoting fairness between individual and collective negotiations.
These actions help create an environment where everyone has the same opportunities for advancement and access to fair remuneration.
The importance of negotiation and annual reviews
Annual reviews and individual negotiations are essential levers for correcting disparities:
- Roles and accountability of managers: Train managers to conduct structured and objective annual reviews with uniform and transparent evaluation criteria.
- Negotiation training: Offer dedicated workshops and training to help employees, especially women, better negotiate their remuneration and advocate for their skills.
- Individualized monitoring: Implement monitoring tools to ensure consistent salary progression with each person's performance and potential.
- Clear evaluation criteria: Establish shared evaluation scales that take into account not only results but also potential and transversal skills.
By combining these practices, the company can create a climate of trust and transparency, essential for effectively reducing pay inequality and promoting real equity in the professional development of all its employees.
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