Increasing women's salary expectations is a crucial step towards narrowing the gender pay gap

Addressing the gender wage disparity might require empowering women to negotiate for salaries that exceed their male peers' compensation. This suggestion comes from Tanja Loktionova, the founder of Values Value, who shared insights from the agency's annual salary review at Devcom recently.

During her presentation, Loktionova emphasized that women generally earn less than men across almost all roles in the gaming sector, and they often expect lower wages when questioned about equitable salaries.

"The gender pay gap exists," she remarked to attendees. "And it has always existed."

"We need more transparency. Once it's visible, it becomes difficult to sustain the traditional gender pay disparities, which are prevalent not just in the gaming industry," she added.

The survey collected input from 1,832 developers worldwide, predominantly from Europe, including non-EU nations like the UK. Of these respondents, 69% were men, 29% were women, and 2% identified differently. Moreover, 19% had over a decade of gaming industry experience, many occupying senior or executive positions.

Layoffs have impacted 18% of those surveyed over the last year, with the majority finding new employment, especially in HR and recruitment, which were heavily affected. However, 5% remain unemployed and are actively seeking jobs.

Concerning pay disparities, men consistently earned more than women in most fields except for HR, recruitment, and programming, where women either outpaced or closely matched male earnings. Notably, the largest pay gap occurred in marketing and user acquisition, where males earned an average of €65,400 compared to €38,000 for females, a striking 42% difference. Male executives earned around €76,752 on average, whereas their female counterparts made €58,080, reflecting a 24% gap.

The survey also found significant variances in salary expectations. While men anticipated higher wages across all fields except HR and programming, women's expectations aligned more closely with existing average male salaries. A striking instance was in top-level management, where male respondents aspired to €100,000, whereas women anticipated €72,000, which is lower than the current male average and substantially less than men's expectations for such roles.

When asked about the potential influence of salary transparency and discussions, Loktionova noted, "Most salary negotiations hinge on the candidate's initial expectations. Regrettably, women often initiate negotiations by underselling themselves. Understanding these dynamics can empower women to demand salaries that align more with industry standards and peer compensation."

"Awareness is key," she continued. "I urge every manager and woman to witness this comparison to bridge the gender pay gap effectively. What's disheartening is that higher positions don't mitigate these pay differences. Even as women ascend, disparities persist." She emphasized the importance of fostering diversity and inclusivity, encouraging more equitable salary negotiations.

At the senior level, managers' average earnings ranged from €35,000 in QA and testing to €84,000 in executive roles. Top management was the highest paid, followed by analytics at €77,000, and programming leads at €66,151. These averages included responses from both EU and non-EU countries. However, in non-EU regions, salary averages spanned from €31,010 in QA and testing to €56,400 in top-level roles.

Loktionova revealed that most disciplines experienced a pay increase since the prior year's survey, except for HR/recruitment and QA/testing, likely impacted by major layoffs in those sectors during the past year.

The survey also highlighted that hybrid workers express greater job satisfaction compared to their remote and on-site counterparts. Conversely, employees with no financial incentives are most inclined to seek employment elsewhere. Those provided with benefits like a share of game sales, profit sharing, paid parental leave, or project bonuses are least likely to change jobs.

Note: GamesIndustry.biz is a Devcom media partner, with travel and accommodations furnished by the organizers.