Despite significant advancements in the fight for gender equality, women still face challenges in the business world, especially when it comes to issues related to wages. According to the latest data from the Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), men in BiH continue to earn more than women in the same positions within companies, up to 17 percent more. A deeper analysis reveals disparities across sectors such as banking, economics and finance, management, and real estate.
The male employment rate is significantly higher than that of women. According to the latest publication by the Agency titled “Women and Men in BiH,” the male employment rate stands at 67.7%, while for women, it’s 40%, indicating a clear gender gap in employment of 27.7%.
The Labor Force Survey is a regular survey conducted by the Agency for Statistics of BiH, and since 2020, it has been conducted continuously, following a new methodology aligned with European Union (EU) regulations. In 2022, the survey was conducted on a sample of 42.888 households.
One of the key reasons for these differences lies in the lack of assertiveness among women in advocating for their own interests, experts say. According to research from the portal Paylab.com, men are more willing to initiate negotiations regarding employment and salary. This behavioral pattern points to deeper social norms that encourage men to be more proactive in seeking better working conditions.
Men are more likely to negotiate starting salaries and are more skilled in negotiating their interests. On the other hand, women are often ingrained to be obedient and modest, thus they engage less in negotiations for better working conditions.
Although it may seem that women are less assertive in advocating for their own interests, it doesn’t mean they lack negotiation skills. On the contrary, research shows that women are very capable negotiators when it comes to collective interests or the interests of others.
To overcome these gender differences in salary negotiations, a series of steps need to be taken. Companies should promote gender equality and enable transparent salary negotiation processes. Additionally, it’s important to encourage women about the importance of assertiveness and self-promotion and support them in developing negotiation skills. There is nothing wrong with a woman advocating for a job or a better salary.
Ultimately, the fight for gender equality involves not only changes in corporate policies and practices but also profound social and cultural changes that will empower women to actively advocate for their interests and achieve fairer working conditions, N1 reports.
E.Dz.
