Only one-third of workers in Belgium believe their company actively promotes fair pay, according to a survey published by SD Worx on Friday ahead of International Women’s Day. Men generally have more confidence in their employer’s equality measures than women.
HR service provider SD Worx conducted a study across 18 countries, surveying 18,000 workers, including 1,000 in Belgium. The survey results show that only 29% of Belgian respondents feel their employer is actively combating pay inequality. 25% are convinced otherwise, 28% are neutral, and 19% have no opinion on the matter.
These figures suggest that companies’ measures are either unknown, insufficiently communicated, or perceived as not credible, according to SD Worx. More men (35%) believe their employer is tackling pay inequality compared to women (21%).
This topic remains taboo in many companies, with only one-fifth of those surveyed saying it is openly discussed. Nearly half (43%) admit that pay discrepancies are rarely addressed. Only 12% of women report that their employer provides information on the gender pay gap, compared to 29% of men.
The gender pay gap is a global issue and persists in Belgium. According to the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEFH), this gap was 8% in 2021 when adjusted for working hours and 21% without this adjustment.
