According to a Project Management Institute (PMI) research, women in project management are paid less and have fewer managerial roles and certifications than their male counterparts.
The survey discovered that, while women thrive in leadership roles, males continue to possess higher-paying jobs and more certificates. The majority of project managers are men, with male project managers outnumbering female project managers three to one. The annual worldwide survey conducted by PMI included 8,313 participants, 1,927 of whom were women.
The gender pay gap is also visible in the United States, where women earn 12% less than men in project management, with a median compensation of $106,000 compared to $120,000 for males. The survey found that the pay disparity varied by country; nonetheless, women were paid less than males in all situations.
The survey also found that women in project management are less likely to have certifications or degrees in the field than men, which is significant because certifications increase earning potential by 16%, according to the survey. Women are achieving management roles at about the same rate as men, with 20% of surveyed women compared to 23% of surveyed men holding management titles.
Asya Watkins, CEO and founder of Women of Project Management, noted that “Many women simply don’t have the resources or community they need to reach the opportunities they’re deserving of…Their needs and voices aren’t being heard, or sometimes, they have no idea where they should even start.”
The PMI poll showed a little gender gap in the usage of technology and preferred project management methodologies. Women are more likely than males to employ hybrid (5.4%) or Agile (3.6%) approaches, but men are more likely to use waterfall or conventional methods. As a result, female and male project managers are more likely to work for companies that use these project management practices.
According to the survey, 88% of project professionals agree that having diverse project teams with people of different genders, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and cultures boosts the value of a project. Women continue to hold disproportionately fewer employment than males, despite global attempts to achieve equality and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) measures in the workplace. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), the global labor force participation rate for women is less than 47%, compared to 72% for males.
The sources for this piece include an article in TechRepublic.