The UK Gender Pay Gap 1997–2015: What Is the Role of the Public Sector?

Abstract

The Labour Force Survey is used to examine the influence of sector on the UK gender pay gap 1997-2015. The assessment is twofold: first comparing gender pay gaps within sectors and second through identifying the contribution of the concentration of women in the public sector to the overall gender pay gap. The long-term narrowing of the gender pay gap, which predominately reflects relative improvements in women's productivity-related characteristics, is found to stall in 2010 within each sector. This is considered in the context of claims that public sector austerity represents a critical turning point in progress toward gender equality at work.

From evidence to action: Applying gender mainstreaming to pay gaps in the Welsh public sector

“…As ‘role model employers’, public organizations have a significant role to play in addressing gender equalities, including pay gaps, particularly given the dominant role of women within this sector of the economy (Bullard & Wright, ; Conley, ; Grimshaw, ; Jones et al, forthcoming; Rubery & Rafferty, ). Research on the detailed gender composition of public organizations demonstrates that whilst more women are working in public services, they are much more likely than men to be working in job roles below their qualification levels (Conley, ; Connell, ; Jones & Torrie, ; ONS, ).…”

“…In terms of pay gaps, the academic evidence on public workplaces is mixed. On the one hand, Thornley's () work demonstrates stable patterns of persistent disadvantage and undervaluation, linked to a predominance of part‐time working, whereas a recent study by Jones et al (forthcoming) evidences the impact of good quality public sector employment for women, underpinned by job evaluation. However, Jones et al (forthcoming) also conclude that the improvement in women's human capital has reached the limit of its capacity in enhancing women's pay as, despite higher qualifications, gender pay gaps cannot be further diminished while women remain clustered in lower paying occupations.…”

“…On the one hand, Thornley's () work demonstrates stable patterns of persistent disadvantage and undervaluation, linked to a predominance of part‐time working, whereas a recent study by Jones et al (forthcoming) evidences the impact of good quality public sector employment for women, underpinned by job evaluation. However, Jones et al (forthcoming) also conclude that the improvement in women's human capital has reached the limit of its capacity in enhancing women's pay as, despite higher qualifications, gender pay gaps cannot be further diminished while women remain clustered in lower paying occupations. They also identify a narrowing pay gap for public organizations, relative to private, although this ceases from 2010 onwards, raising queries over whether this represents a ‘historical shift’ or a transient phase linked to austerity (Conley, ; Conley & Page, ; Jones et al, forthcoming, p. 19).…”

“…However, Jones et al (forthcoming) also conclude that the improvement in women's human capital has reached the limit of its capacity in enhancing women's pay as, despite higher qualifications, gender pay gaps cannot be further diminished while women remain clustered in lower paying occupations. They also identify a narrowing pay gap for public organizations, relative to private, although this ceases from 2010 onwards, raising queries over whether this represents a ‘historical shift’ or a transient phase linked to austerity (Conley, ; Conley & Page, ; Jones et al, forthcoming, p. 19).…”

“…Academic perspectives on the gender pay debate have been vital in providing evidence on the size and nature of the pay gap (Rubery, ), whilst also identifying key determinants to be addressed. Knowledge of pay gap drivers at the societal level has become particularly sophisticated with important implications for global and national government policy and legislation (Jones, Wass, & Makepeace, forthcoming; Peruzzi, ). However, in recent years, there have been calls for attention to organizational responses to pay gaps, specifically in the context of human resources (HR) policies and practices but also in terms of organizational culture change (Conley, ; Davies, McNabb, & Whitfield, ; Dickens, ).…”