Whilst I hesitate to defend HSBC, the gender pay gap reporting is woefully flawed.
I work in semiconductors, an industry with almost no female participants in the main area - engineering. So the females in the company are generally in peripheral or support roles which are less specialised and lower paid. Hence our gender pay differential is huge.
It is not representative - if you take the gender pay gap across the same jobs, it is non-existent.
I suppose it depends what the intent of publishing the stats is. If it’s like for like salary/job comparisons, then absolutely, it’s flawed. If it’s to prove a broader point - that women tend not to be employed in higher paid roles, such as executive management positions or in engineering, then you could say that it’s doing its job…
That’s what it is meant to change. It is hoped that the notion that there are ‘male’ jobs and ‘female’ jobs will disappear. Or at least that steps will be taken to reduce the pay gap.
I’ve always thought this. Granted I’ve never been in a very high up position, however… Wherever I have worked, I’ve been paid the same as the girl sat to me…
Did you work for Lloyd’s banking group by any chance? You sound like my old manager 
I understand that there is this “glass ceiling” though, but the article should be about that… Not a false pay gap.
Pretty close… Halifax? That’s still Lloyd’s Banking Group 
Ohhh unless you mean TSB
You must still work there… 
Believe me most people i work with would love to have more of a gender balance in the workplace. The charity I am involved with sponsors prizes for women in engineering (including trans gender people who identify as women).
But it isn’t male jobs vs female jobs. It’s jobs in a specialised and competitive industry vs generalists with less competition.
I’m going to be the odd one out here though, and say that there are always going to be more men in higher positions. Due to women having children and becoming a wonderful mum, and understandably putting motherhood first.
Obviously not always the case, I’m a house husband with a part time job. But in the majority of cases.
As a percentage, there will always be a gap.
Yes I totally agree, women rule the world.
But they also go on maternity leave for 9 months then come back wanting to go part time
I think that’s the case in many places. It’s up to the people who can change things, to do so. And it’s not easy.
As an example, several airlines are actively recruiting female pilots (partly) because of a gender pay gap.
I agree with this.
You are missing my point entirely 
I’m not sure what the relevance of this is? Maternity leave certainly isn’t a holiday - and part-time work should (in my view) be viewed as equally as full-time work. Neither should prevent anyone from moving ahead, surely?
(And where are the women in this conversation?)
I’ll start by saying, I’m not sexist. My girlfriend is a very strong feminist.
What I’m saying, is that there is always going to be less women in higher positions, because some, not all, of them chose to put motherhood first over their career. (understandably)
Why would a women work really hard to get really far, have a baby. Then think stuff it, I can’t be bothered with work now
And at what point did I say maternity leave was a holiday 
I have 3 children. Trust me I am well aware!
This is always the problem with these arguments.
Nobody ever looks at it from a logical point of view. Why shouldn’t part time be viewed the same as full time? Because it isn’t, never will be.
Lady in an important job goes on maternity leave, company has to find a temp. Finds a temp, doesn’t work in the same way as the lady on maternity leave, position in the company goes to shit. Maternity leave lady comes back, no longer has the same passion and desire as she used too and goes part time. Then they are back to square one and need to fill the position yet again, but the last year has gone to shit because of everybody having to switch around roles - therefore the company has lost time, money, etc etc
It’s just real life. Sadly that’s how it works
(but, women have plans. They love plans. And a women who wants a child wouldn’t take a really high up job, if she knew in her head that she was going to leave to go on maternity leave then go back part time. Because women are sensible and clever beings, unlike us men)
Hence, a smaller percentage of women in high up positions.
And jesus, raise the point all you want that “why can’t the woman come back part time and work just as hard”
Because if their role is that important, and is a really huge cog in the company, part time doesn’t work. Somebody needs to be there every day giving the job their undivided attention.
and in many cases better at multitasking, oh and don’t talk about soccer (which a big plus in my books)
The women I work closely with are very into rugby. I am not. At all.
I love rugby, would be happy with that
Soccer is rubbish.
Football > Soccer.
Assuming that means Football is greater than Soccer…I like Football. Miami Dolphins is my team 
Do you get to the Hard Rock Stadium very often to watch them play? 