MEN FEEL MORE comfortable than women when it comes to negotiating a pay rise and also expect to earn €11,000 more than women.

That’s according to research published today by IrishJobs, a leading hiring platform.

The research looked into disparities between men and women on perceptions around compensation.

The findings are based on a survey of 470 recruiters and 670 candidates in Ireland, as well as an analysis of 1.3 million job adverts across the Irish labour market.

Salaries and salary expectation

Based on their role, skills, and experience, men expect a median salary of €64,000, compared to €53,000 for women – a 17% gap in pay expectations.

The median ranks exactly in the middle of the smallest and largest figure.

IrishJobs said the findings “reflect the lingering structural and cultural barriers in the workforce that continue to shape attitudes around pay and real salaries”.

And while men expect a salary of €64,000, the research found that the median salary for male professionals in Ireland last year was €55,000.

This compares to a median salary of €44,000 for women.

And while 79% of men said they are satisfied with their salary, only 71% of women say the same.

Meanwhile, the average pay rise for men last year was 6.5%, compared to 5.4% for women.

Close to half (44%) of women who received a pay rise said the level of increase did not fully reflect their work performance.

In comparison, 30% of men said their pay increases did not match their performance.

IrishJobs also pointed to “clear differences in how men and women engage with their employer on compensation”.

While two-thirds of men said they feel confident negotiating a pay rise, only 47% of women felt confident doing the same.

Job search

Meanwhile, IrishJobs said its data points towards “the growing importance of salary transparency among jobseekers”.

More than 70% of jobseekers said they are prepared to walk away from job applications where salary information is not provided upfront.

Despite this, only 38% of job adverts in Ireland currently display salary ranges.

Salary transparency is highest among large businesses, with just over 60% publishing salary ranges in job adverts.

IrishJobs added that attracting “high-calibre talent is becoming more challenging for those who do not display salary information”.

Nearly 4 in 10 businesses (39%) reported losing job candidates due to providing salary information too late in the recruitment process.

Candidate dropout also has a major impact on talent attraction, with close to 30% of employers reporting that dropout rates are leading to a longer time to hire, while 28% said it leads to an increased workload for current employees.

‘Cultural and structural barriers’

The research was carried out by IrishJobs parent company, The Stepstone Group, as part of a study of salary trends in markets including Ireland, the UK, and Germany.

Christopher Paye, country director of The Stepstone Group Ireland, remarked that “Ireland’s labour market remains highly competitive, with employers navigating skills shortages, rising salary expectations, and shifting worker demands”.

“In this evolving environment, clear insights on pay and compensation are essential for understanding how candidates are navigating the jobs market – and how employers can attract and retain high-calibre talent.”

Meanwhile, IrishJobs said it is “clear from the findings that more work is needed to address the lingering cultural and structural barriers resulting in gender pay gaps”.

“When women are not empowered to feel confident about their market value, it reinforces inequalities that already exist in the labour market,” said a spokesperson.

“With only 38% of job adverts in Ireland currently displaying salary ranges, increasing transparency on salary ranges can help to address these inequalities and ensure that talent is rewarded fairly, regardless of gender.”