Gender-based salary disparity in Estonia escalates once more
Sharing the Latest on Estonia's Gender Pay Gap
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It's alarming news from Statistics Estonia as they recently reported that the gender pay gap in Estonia widened by 2.8 percentage points in 2022. That means female employees now earn 17.7% less per hour than their male counterparts.
💼 Sectors with the Biggest Discrepancies
The financial and insurance activities sector holds the crown for the largest pay gap, with females earning a staggering 32.9% less than men. Close behind are the wholesale and retail trade sectors, where women earn a whopping 31.6% less, followed by other service activities (27.8%) and manufacturing (25.8%).
However, a silver lining appears in the transportation and storage sector, where women outshine men, earning 9.3% more than their male counterparts!
What's more, Lina Kuusik, an analyst at Statistics Estonia, informs us that the gender pay gap narrowed by a significant 9.9 percentage points between 2013-2021. So, while progress has been made, it seems the recent data suggests a slight setback in 2022.
📊 Calculating the Gender Pay Gap
The gender pay gap is calculated by taking the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of male and female employees, divided by the average gross hourly earnings of male employees, and expressing the result as a percentage. It is essential to note that irregular bonuses or premiums are not included in the average gross earnings used for this calculation.
🚀 Comparing Methodologies
Interestingly, Statistics Estonia and Eurostat use different methodologies to calculate the gender pay gap. Eurostat's gender pay gap figures do not account for enterprises and institutions with fewer than 10 employees, nor do they factor in the earnings of employees in agriculture, forestry, fishing, or public administration and defense.
🌐 Estonia's Position in the EU
With one of the highest gender pay gaps in the EU, it's clear that Estonia has some work to do to bridge this gap and promote equality in the workforce. Keep an eye out for future updates as we monitor this ongoing issue!
[1] https://www.statestonia.ee/en/press/release/press-release-the-average-gross-hourly-earnings-of-employees-in-the-first-quarter-of-2022-increased-by-10-per-cent-year-on-year[5] https://www.statestonia.ee/en/statistics-and-publications/statistics/labour-market/wages-and-salaries/gender-pay-gap
- It's concerning to note that Estonia's culture of equality in business seems to be taking a step back, as the gender pay gap in various sectors such as finance, business, and science has shown significant discrepancies.
- In an inspiring turn of events, Estonia's health-and-wellness, and women's health sectors showed a positive trend, with women earning more than men in the transportation and storage sector.
- As we strive for a more equitable society, it's important to address the issue of the gender pay gap in Estonia, particularly in sectors like culture, business, and sciences, where women are currently earning less than men.
- While Estonia remains one of the EU countries with one of the highest gender pay gaps, focusing on improving equality in sectors like health-and-wellness, women's health, and finance could potentially help bridge the gap and create a more balanced workforce.
