New research from Accenture concludes technology can help women advance at work and help close the gender pay gap.
The report “Getting to Equal 2017” identifies several critical factors that affect a women’s ability to achieve equal pay as early as university. For example, young women lag in adopting new technologies quickly – 45 percent vs. 63 percent, compared with young men. There are gaps too in taking coding and computing courses – 68 percent vs. 83 percent.
The findings are based on insights and analysis from more than 28,000 women and men in 29 countries. The report offers what researchers call three powerful equalizers that could reduce the pay gap by 35 percent worldwide and add $3.9 trillion to women’s income by 2030. They are:
- Digital Fluency: The extent to which people use digital technologies to connect, learn, work – helping to get more women into paid work.
- Career Strategy: The need for women to aim high, make informed choices and manage their careers proactively.
- Tech Immersion: The opportunity to acquire greater tech and stronger digital skills – dramatically increasing women’s earning potential and opportunity for senior roles.
Applying these career accelerators, combined with support from business, government and academia, could reduce the pay gap by 35 percent by 2030, boosting women’s income $3.9 trillion, according to Accenture
The report also dives into the differences between men and women undergrads to examine how decisions made in college can impact women’s earnings later on – factors that put women on the fast-track toward manager.
“The future workforce must be an equal workforce,” said Julie Sweet, Accenture’s chief executive officer – North America, in a statement. “The gender pay gap is an economic and competitive imperative that matters to everyone, and we must all take action to create significant opportunities for women and close the gap more quickly.
“Gender equality is an essential element of an inclusive workplace, and this extends to pay.” Accenture Chairman and CEO Pierre Nanterme, added. “Business, government and academia all have an important role to play in closing the gap. Collaboration among these organizations is key to providing the right opportunities, environments and role models to lead the way for change.”
