Women have finally caught up with men in one aspect of management – they are just as likely to face redundancy as their male colleagues.

A study by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) reveals that losing a job is the one area where men and women compete equally in the workplace.

The findings showed 2.2 per cent of men and women executives lost the jobs in the 12 months to February 2011.

The statistics marked a change, because in the previous year 4.5 per cent of women were made redundant compared with three per cent of men.

Rising up the ranks, senior women managers are more likely to get fired than men – 4.9 per cent of female function heads were sacked against 2.7 per cent of men, while 2.9 per cent of women directors lost their jobs compared with 0.6 per cent of men.

The survey of around 34,000 executives also revealed pay is still an issue for women managers.

While female junior executives are earning as much or slightly more pay than men for the first time,   an average salary of £21,969 – £602 more than men.

But it’s business as usual for more senior managers as men are paid an average £42,441, while women earn £31,985 for doing the same job, a discrepancy of £10,546.

The CMI’s director of policy and research, Petra Wilton, said: “While the CMI is delighted junior female executives have caught up with males at the same level, this year’s salary survey demonstrates yet again, that businesses are contributing to the persistent gender pay gap and alienating top female employees by continuing to pay men and women unequally.

“It is the responsibility of every executive,  organisation and the government to bring about change. Diversity shouldn’t be seen as something that has to be accommodated, but something to celebrate. Imposing mandatory quotas and forcing organisations to reveal salaries is not the solution.”

To illustrate the point, the CMI has calculated if the gender pay gap continues to close at the current rate, women’s salaries will not equal men’s pay until 2109 – 98 years time.

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This article is filed under : Women, Social Policy, Diversity, Legal, Leadership, Minorities, Role models

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