#leadership-representation

#leadership-representation

The gender pay gap in the UK has narrowed since 1997, but it hasn't disappeared. As of April 2025, women still earn 12.8% less than men, according to the Office for National Statistics. The reasons are structural: women are overrepresented in lower-paid roles such as nursing and teaching, and underrepresented in higher-paid sectors. Even graduates who studied the same subjects see pay diverge early, with men out-earning women soon after entering the workforce.

Despite equal devotion to their work, there is a "notable ambition gap" between men and women, according to a new study by McKinsey and Lean In. The Women in the Workplace report, which examined data from 124 companies and 9,500 employees, found that 80% of women want to be promoted to the next level, compared to 86% of men. The gap is widest for employees early in their careers and those at senior levels.