Digital Salaries – is there parity in the industry?
When it comes to digital salaries, a prevalent topic throughout the years has been the gender equality debate. Of course, it’s an important debate to have. It extends beyond the potential gender pay gap to encompass the broader issue of ensuring all digital professionals feel they have equal opportunities. However, not everyone may feel comfortable discussing salary, particularly when requesting a pay raise.
In the blog, we will delve into our exclusive data from the 2024 digital salary survey report. It’s time to determine if professionals feel parity has been achieved or if there is still some work to be done!
Digital salaries by seniority and gender
In our annual digital salary survey, we always share the industry average salary, which this year reached £65,287. This prompted us to consider not just the average salary for each seniority level, but also the salaries within each group. For instance, are men earning more than women in senior positions like the C-Suite? Let’s explore our findings…
As we can see, a noticeable gap is evident throughout the seniority levels. Interestingly, despite a higher number of male respondents in senior positions, there remains a gap in junior to mid-level salaries, even with more female respondents at these levels. This could suggest that women enter the industry with lower starting salaries, which do not increase significantly as they advance in their careers. Addressing these gaps requires comprehensive and sustained efforts from organisations to ensure that all employees, regardless of gender, are compensated fairly for their contributions.
Promotions and pay rises – is anyone feeling overlooked?
Although our 2023 questionnaire revealed that 65% of digital professionals felt comfortable asking for a pay raise, we aimed to approach the question differently in our latest edition. Instead, we asked respondents if they ever felt overlooked for promotion or pay raise opportunities. Even if professionals feel comfortable broaching the subject, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will receive the response they desire.
While only 27% of our overall respondents answered that they do feel overlooked for promotions or pay raises, it’s interesting to note that 30% of these respondents were female. 65% of those who felt overlooked were men. It is an interesting dynamic, one that people might not have expected. As mentioned, there were more male respondents so perhaps this is why that they are in the majority of those feeling overlooked.
Do digital professionals feel fairly compensated in comparison to other genders?
This is another new question for our 2024 report. It’s simple – do some people feel they are not fairly paid because of gender?
It is good to see that the majority of respondents feel that they are fairly compensated. However, it is still surprising to see a significant 32% who are not sure. Does this suggest a lack of transparency? It may indicate a gap in trust between employees and management. Without access to comparative salary information or a clear understanding of the criteria for compensation decisions, employees can only speculate.
When we asked respondents directly if there was any gender disparity in certain areas of their business, salary was featured in the top 3 choices. It scored 19% overall, which is still a low figure despite being voted as an area with gender disparity. Stay tuned for more insights around this particular question, which is coming very soon!
Want more insights on digital salaries?
There are plenty more blogs to come! You can download a full copy of the report or read the 2024 digital salary review! Can we help you further? Perhaps it’s time to submit your CV and find a new opportunity. If you’re hiring talent, you can submit a recruitment enquiry and our team will be in touch.
