Get All Access for $5/mo

Singapore Sees Widest Gender Pay Gap In A Decade Women face a relatively smaller wage gap in industries such as real estate, construction, arts and recreation and other service-related sectors

By Nidhi Singh

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur Asia Pacific, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Pixabay

Singapore is emerging as a leader in many sectors but when it comes to gender wage equality the country is surely lagging behind. According to a report published by Singapore-based financial analysis site Value Champion, Singapore's gender wage gap increased in 2018, with the median monthly wage for women representing 88 per cent of men's in the country (91 per cent in 2017).

Gender Pay Gap at the Lowest Level

In 2017, the median wage for women working full-time was 90.8 per cent of the median wage for men, in 2018 this ratio decreased to 87.5 per cent, its lowest in the past decade, an analysis of the Manpower Ministry's labour statistics has shown that in 2017.

The wage gap was widest in the industries of health and social services (62 per cent), manufacturing (77 per cent), accommodation and food services (78 per cent), information and communications (79 per cent) and financial and insurance services (80 per cent).

The wage gap tends to be particularly high in the health and social services, manufacturing, accommodation and food services, information and communications and financial and insurance services industries, the report found.

This group also includes some of the highest paying industries, which suggests that women are less likely to have some of the highest paying roles in the country. For example, women make up 52 per cent of the financial and insurance industry workforce, but just 43 per cent of the employees earning at least S$7,000 per month in that sector. Similarly, women make up 77 per cent of the health and social services workforce, but represent only 51 per cent of employees in that industry earn at least S$7,000 monthly. Meanwhile, women represent 85 per cent of the employees earning less than S$2,000 per month.

Industries With The Least Gender Wage Gap

Women face a relatively smaller wage gap in industries such as real estate, construction, arts and recreation and other service-related sectors, the report highlights.

In fact, the median wage for women in the transportation & storage and administrative industries is actually higher than it is for men. However, it is worth noting that women make up just 24 per cent of the transportation and storage and 26 per cent of the construction workforces. This suggests that the impact of this wage advantage in these industries may be somewhat limited for women in Singapore.

Tracing 2017

In order to understand the dynamics of Singapore's widening gender wage gap, the report analysed changes between 2017 and 2018. It found that women made significantly less compared to men in the real estate services and health and social services industries in 2018 compared to 2017. Additionally, women's median wages in transportation and storage and administrative and support services exceeded men's by a smaller margin in 2018 than in 2017. For example, the median wage of women in the transportation and storage industry was 150 per cent of their male counterparts in 2018, but just 127 percent in 2018.

Nidhi Singh

Former Correspondent, Entrepreneur Asia-Pacific

A self confessed Bollywood Lover, Travel junkie and Food Evangelist.I like travelling and I believe it is very important to take ones mind off the daily monotony .

Business News

These Companies Offer the Best Work-Life Balance, According to Employees

The ranking is based on Glassdoor ratings and reviews.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Living

70% of Small Business Owners Experience Monthly Burnout. Follow These 3 Rules to Avoid the Same Fate.

Here are three guidelines to help entrepreneurs achieve balance, growth and success in both their professional and personal endeavors.

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.