Why a gender salary gap doesn’t exist within PR agencies

Richard Bailey posted recently on pay equality the PR industry following Harriet Harman’s proposals on pay equality last week. Richard cites data from a PRCA survey from 2005 which reckons that there is chasm between the pay between the sexes in the PR industry.

Research for the Chartered Institute of Public Relations in 2005 suggested a stubborn pay gap remained. The average salary for all men working in PR was recorded as £57,165. The figure was £39,507 for women (these figures are on page 50 of the report). What can explain this gap?

This is nonsense and is as valid as claiming that there’s a differential between the salary of PR executives and board directors. Different roles within agencies attract different salaries as Richard recognises.

Averages can be misleading, since men are disproportionately well-represented at the most senior levels. So the gap may not mean that men are earning more for doing the same work as women.

A more useful comparison would be to compare male versus female salaries in like-for-like roles. And on this basis I don’t believe that there would be any differences. The market agency-side for people is far too competitive and the presence of recruiters ensures salary parity.

Also posted on www.rainierpr.co.uk