Reed.co.uk research finds only 41 percent of women negotiate their salary when being offered a role compared with 61 percent of men.
Over a quarter (27%) of women feel uncomfortable discussing salary with an employer, compared with 13 percent of men.
Nine in ten (90%) workers who negotiated their most recent salary say they successfully secured an increase.
The study highlights how the cost-of-living crisis could potentially become more pronounced for women as the gender ‘ask gap’ persists, with many not securing the highest salary possible when changing jobs.
Negotiation skills
The research shows that negotiating salaries is a sought-after skill, with as many as seven in ten (70%) workers believing that salary negotiation should be taught in school.
The research also shines a light on how minority workers in particular value education on salary negotiation:
- Three-quarters (74%) of women think salary negotiation should be taught in school compared with 65 percent of men.
- Around eight in ten LGBTQ+ (78%), BAME (83%) and disabled (82%) respondents agree that the skill should be taught in school in comparison with their straight (70%), white (67%) and non-disabled (69%) counterparts.
It’s not only a skill that is revered among workers but also employers. Over three-quarters of business leaders (77%) positively perceive candidates who negotiate their salary during the interview process, characterising them as ambitious and determined.
Are salary negotiations often successful?
More than half (51%) of people have never negotiated wages when offered a job. Again, the reluctance to talk about salary is more prevalent among women as 59 percent admitted to not once negotiating salary when offered a new role compared to just 39 percent of men.
However, the research offers a promising insight for those who do enter salary negotiations with their employer as nine in ten (90%) workers who negotiated their most current salary were successful in getting an increase.
The most common increase in salary was between £1,000-£2,499 (42%), followed by over a quarter (27%) receiving a raise between £2,500-£4,999. Men (42%) were more likely to secure this higher pay increase when compared to women (31%).
Commenting on the research, Simon Wingate, Managing Director of Reed.co.uk, says:
“The latest Reed.co.uk data sheds new light on how the gender ‘ask gap’ is perpetuating unequal pay. While the government has taken important strides through the pay transparency pilot, the research shows that more needs to be done to address the disparity in confidence between men and women when discussing salary.
“By introducing salary negotiation skills into school education, future generations across society will be able to understand and implement negotiation strategies during the hiring process – and across other life experiences such as purchasing a house or car. This will enable them to secure a higher starting salary and help close existing pay gaps.
“At a time when the cost-of-living is rising, the study also shows the value in employees pushing their future employers for a salary increase when being offered a new role and confirms that finding a new job is one of the best possible ways to secure a pay rise.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
