How does the new gender pay gap data measure up across the pharma, medtech and diagnostics sectors?

The latest release of employer gender pay gap data provides deeper insights into workplace gender equality, affecting more than 5.3 million Australians. This year, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has expanded its reporting to cover 7,800 individual employers and 1,700 corporate groups, allowing access to data for individual employers and their broader corporate groups.

According to the 2023-24 data, 31% of Australian employers have a median gender pay gap within the target range of -5% to +5%, only a slight increase from 30% reported last year. Additionally, 21% of employers have an average gender pay gap within this range – marking the first time WGEA has reported average pay gaps.

Ultimately, the goal is for both median and average gender pay gaps to be within -5% to +5%, a benchmark that only 15.3% of employers have achieved so far.

WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge stated “Where an employer’s gender pay gap is beyond the target range of +/-5%, it indicates one gender is more likely to be over-represented in higher-paying roles compared to the other. This can be a sign of structural or cultural differences for one gender within an occupation, organisation, or broader industry.”

AstraZeneca stands out as the only Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation holder with a median total remuneration gender pay gap within the WGEA target range. Delving into the data reveals a notable 0.3% median gender pay gap.

J&J Innovative Medicine, Merck Healthcare, Sanofi, Eli Lilly, Amgen, Roche Products and Roche Diagnostics are also noteworthy for their median gender pay gap performance. Merck Healthcare is tracking at -1.5%, J&J Innovative Medicine at 3.6%, Sanofi at -6.9%, Eli Lilly at -1.0%, Amgen at 2.8%, Roche Products at 3.6% and Roche Diagnostics at 1.0%, all falling within the target range (-5% and +5%) or leaning favourably towards women.

Turning to private hospitals, both Ramsay Healthcare and Healthscope exhibit praiseworthy median total remuneration gender pay gap of -10.5% and -11.2%, respectively.

Despite some progress, gender pay disparities remain prevalent. The latest data shows that nearly three in four (72%) employers have a gender pay gap favouring men, with high-paying employers more likely to exhibit both a gap in favour of men and a larger gender pay gap overall.

“For employers that haven’t made progress, it’s time to ask why – dig into the data to find out what’s causing any gender differences and use evidence-based solutions to address them,” Wooldridge urged.

Encouragingly, WGEA’s analysis suggests that the anticipation of public reporting has driven action, with 56% of employers reducing their gender pay gaps in the past year. More organisations are also taking steps to understand the root causes, with a significant increase in gender pay gap analyses and employee consultations.

“It’s promising to see the big increase in the number of employers working to understand what is driving their gender pay gap, beyond unequal pay,” Wooldridge said.

However, structural barriers persist, particularly in senior leadership roles. In Australia, women remain underrepresented in key decision-making positions across many industries.

Chief Executive Women (CEW) President Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz stressed the business case for diversity, stating, “Research, both in Australia and internationally, has found that companies with diverse leadership teams perform better.”

She also highlighted the importance of workplace flexibility, which she emphasised “is not a trend, it’s a necessity of a modern economy. Companies that fail to adapt will find themselves losing out on the best talent and the best outcomes.”

Wooldridge reinforced the broader impact of gender pay gap transparency, noting that organisations are increasingly using the data as a catalyst for meaningful change.

“For men, a more equal experience could mean their employer is providing access to paid parental leave, paying superannuation on that leave and actively supporting a flexible return to work from parental leave.

“For women, it could mean their employer is redesigning manager roles that will enable those roles to be undertaken on a part-time basis or as a job share. This action can create new pathways to career progression for employees with caring or other responsibilities outside of work, or by actively broadening the pipeline of talent across occupations and job roles,” Wooldridge explained.

She added, “What is common to each is purposeful action that breaks down traditional notions of what it means to be a worker and carer in the contemporary workplace.”

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