News Story
Feb 2025 / Blog
This year’s International Women’s Day takes place on Saturday, March 8th, with 2025’s theme addressing ‘rights, equality and empowerment for all women and girls’.
But in Wales, where the education system and workplaces are continuously evolving, do these messages still hold weight? At first glance, it might seem that women already have an equal footing. Dig a little deeper, though, and the data tells a different story.
Despite young women in Wales outperforming men in education, they still face tougher barriers in the workplace. The Welsh Government’s Wellbeing in Wales 2024 study highlights that while more women aged 16-24 are in full-time education than men, their overall employment rate lags behind (70.2% for women versus 76.8% for men). Meanwhile, economic inactivity – often linked to caregiving responsibilities – affects nearly one in four women (24.5%) compared to just 16.2% of men.
Then there’s pay – while 68.3% of men in Wales earn at least the real Living Wage, only 58.5% of women do. That means hundreds of thousands of women, despite their qualifications, are earning below what is considered a fair wage for a decent standard of living.
Finally, there’s qualifications – here women are winning on paper but still losing in practice. In 2023, men were more likely to have no qualifications (8.7%) compared to women (7.1%), and women were more likely to hold qualifications at or above NQF Level 4. Yet, these achievements aren’t translating into equal job prospects or pay. This is due in large part to care duties, meaning women are more likely to take part-time roles to work around these commitments than men.
Employers can easily become complacent about these statistics; roles need to be filled but if these aren’t accessible to everyone, companies are missing out on a substantial talent pool.
A significant, and yet often overlooked, hurdle employers can easily address is flexibility when it comes to working hours and days. Many women, particularly mothers, find the nine-to-five work schedule a major barrier to full-time work. By allowing flexible start and finish times, compressed hours, or remote working, businesses can help break down this barrier. And it’s actually a benefit for all – offering these flexibilities not only ensures that skilled workers aren’t sidelined due to caregiving responsibilities, it also, often results in higher retention rates and happier staff.
Work-based learning and apprenticeships also have a crucial role to play in tackling gender disparities. The ability to upskill while in a role provides a viable route for women to progress in their careers without having to step away from employment or take on further responsibilities like evening classes.
Offering work-based learning means more women can access the qualifications they need to become more knowledgeable in their role and progress within the business.
Employers who adapt to better support women are not just supporting gender equality – they’re also future-proofing their businesses. A more inclusive workplace fosters higher staff retention and a narrowing skills gap. With a pool of diverse talent, organisations have a greater perspective on the landscape they are navigating which will ultimately benefit their performance.
Wales’ gender divide isn’t going to close on its own, but businesses can be at the forefront of change, especially when it comes to ensuring talent determines the opportunities they offer their employees – not gender.
