In: Economics
Is gender the cause of the pay gap between men and women? (min. 150 words)
It is certainly true that there are more senior men than women in the workplace as a whole and this has a negative effect on the gender pay gap as senior people tend to be paid more than juniors. That doesn't mean however that the disparity can't be addressed.
At the heart of the issue is the belief that senior positions 'naturally' require long hours and continuous availability, and thus can not be performed flexibly or part-time. This is largely due to the pattern of men going out to work in the 1950s and women being at home supporting them – allowing men to focus on work excluding everything else in life. Yet globalization and the always-on technol have intensified this in many sectors
The gender wage gap may be a concern from the point of view of public policy, even though the explanation for the difference is largely voluntary because it decreases economic production and means that women are more likely to be dependent on welfare services , particularly when they are aged.