Workplace gender equity in the Chinese Mainland: What women think

Two women and a man in an office setting

In today’s competitive business landscape, achieving gender equity in the workplace is not just a moral imperative – it’s a strategic necessity.

Our Michael Page Talent Trends 2024: The Expectation Gap Report sheds light on the current state of gender equity in the Chinese Mainland’s workplaces, revealing both progress and persistent challenges.

Understanding these insights for hiring managers and leadership teams is crucial for creating more inclusive and equitable work environments that attract top talent and retain top performers.

The shift towards workplace flexibility in the Chinese Mainland

The pandemic catalysed a significant shift in workplace dynamics across APAC, with flexibility emerging as a new norm.

Our talent trends 2024 report shows that professionals in the Chinese Mainland now consider flexible work arrangements as the sixth most important factor after salary when job hunting.

This change, born out of necessity during lockdowns, has become a permanent feature of the work landscape in the Chinese Mainland’s compact urban environment and tech-savvy workforce.

While offering potential benefits for work-life balance, this shift also presents new challenges for gender equity in the workplace.

Gender equity focuses on fairness by providing support based on individual needs, recognising that different genders may have different starting points. In contrast, workplace gender equality means giving everyone the same rights and opportunities. Both approaches foster gender diversity, with equity ensuring individuals get what they need to succeed.

Gender stereotypes can hinder progress by reinforcing traditional roles and expectations, limiting opportunities for all genders to thrive equally in diverse environments.

Also, gender discrimination, which involves treating individuals unfairly based on their gender, creates further barriers to equal opportunities and undermines efforts to achieve both gender equity and diversity.

Together, these challenges highlight the importance of breaking down gender bias to foster a more equitable environment.

As organisations in the Chinese Mainland adapt to these evolving expectations, the impact on gender equity remains a critical consideration in fostering inclusive work environments.

Women’s satisfaction levels with workplace gender equity efforts

3 women and 1 man in a work discussion

Our data reveals a nuanced picture of how women feel about workplace gender equity efforts in the Chinese Mainland:

Closing the gender pay gap

57% of women are satisfied with their employer’s efforts
12% are dissatisfied
31% are neutral

When it comes to employer efforts to close the gender pay gap, the majority of women (57%) report being satisfied with their organisation’s approach. While a significant portion (31%) remain neutral on the issue, only 12% express dissatisfaction with their employer’s efforts to address pay equity. These findings suggest that while most employers appear to be making progress on pay equity initiatives, there remains room for improvement in addressing the concerns of those who are either neutral or dissatisfied.

Promoting equity and inclusion for women

72% of women are satisfied
20% are neutral
7% are dissatisfied
1% are uninterested

The data paints an encouraging picture of workplace equity and inclusion efforts for women. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of women are satisfied with current initiatives, while 20% remain neutral. The minimal levels of dissatisfaction (7%) and disinterest (1%) suggest that organisations are generally meeting women’s expectations in this area, though there remains scope for engaging the neutral segment more effectively.

Female leadership representation

70% of women are satisfied
18% are neutral
12% are dissatisfied

Women’s perspectives on female leadership representation reveal a largely positive picture, with 70% expressing satisfaction with current efforts. However, the combined 30% who are either neutral (18%) or dissatisfied (12%) suggests there’s still work to be done in breaking through the remaining barriers to women's leadership advancement.

Differing priorities in DE&I initiatives

Our report also highlights significant differences in how men and women prioritise various Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives:

Women’s top 5 DE&I priorities:

Promoting greater equity for and inclusion of women in the workplace
Preventing age discrimination in the workplace
Closing the gender pay gap
Promoting greater equity for and inclusion of people of diverse racial and/or ethnic backgrounds
Getting more women into leadership positions

Men’s top 5 DE&I priorities:

Preventing age discrimination in the workplace
Promoting greater equity for and inclusion of people of diverse racial and/or ethnic backgrounds
Getting more people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds into leadership positions
Closing the gender pay gap
Promoting greater equity for and inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace

Women’s priorities clearly centre on gender-related workplace issues, with three of their top five concerns focusing on female advancement: workplace equity and inclusion, leadership representation, and pay equality. This suggests women are acutely aware of persistent gender-related challenges in their professional lives.

Men, on the other hand, place greater emphasis on broader diversity concerns, particularly focusing on racial and ethnic inclusion, both in general workplace equity and leadership representation. Both genders share strong concerns about age discrimination , ranking it amongst their top two priorities, indicating this is a universal concern in the workplace.

Interestingly, while closing the gender pay gap appears in both groups’ top five priorities, it ranks higher for women (3rd) than for men (4th). A unique difference emerges in the fifth priority, where men emphasise inclusion of people with disabilities, while women focus on female leadership representation.

These differing perspectives suggest that whilst there is some alignment on key DE&I issues, personal experience and perspective significantly influence how different groups prioritise workplace inclusion initiatives.

Men’s engagement in workplace gender equity

Two men and two women in smart casual clothing looking at one tablet, with another mixed gender group sitting in the background

While our data reveals clear differences in how men and women prioritise DE&I initiatives, it’s crucial to recognise the role men play in advancing workplace gender equity.

The fact that closing the gender pay gap appears in men’s top five priorities, albeit at a lower rank, indicates some level of awareness and concern. However, the absence of other women-specific issues in men’s top priorities suggests a potential gap in understanding or urgency.

This discrepancy highlights the need for increased awareness and engagement among men, particularly those in leadership positions, regarding the challenges women face in the workplace.

Bridging this perception gap is essential, as men often hold positions of influence that can drive significant change in organisational policies and workplace culture.

Implications for employers

These findings have several important implications for hiring managers and leadership teams:

Address the gender pay gap: With less than half of women satisfied with efforts to close the gender pay gap, organisations must prioritise pay equity. This could involve conducting regular pay audits, implementing transparent pay scales, and addressing unjustified disparities.
Enhance leadership opportunities: The low satisfaction with female leadership representation suggests a need for more robust leadership development programs for women, mentorship initiatives, and a critical examination of promotion practices.
Promote inclusive policies: While general equity and inclusion efforts for women have the highest satisfaction rate, there’s still room for improvement. Consider implementing or enhancing policies that support work-life balance, parental leave, and protection against workplace harassment.
Bridge the perception gap: The differing priorities between men and women in DE&I initiatives highlight a potential disconnect. Organisations should foster open dialogues about DE&I priorities and ensure that men, especially those in leadership positions, are aware of and supportive of women’s concerns.
A holistic approach to DE&I: While addressing workplace gender equity is crucial, it’s important to maintain a holistic approach to DE&I. Age discrimination, for instance, is a top concern for both genders and should not be overlooked.
Transparency and communication: The high percentage of neutral responses across all categories suggests a need for better communication about workplace gender equity efforts. Organisations should be transparent about their initiatives, progress, and challenges.

Bridging the gender gap in the Chinese Mainland’s workplaces is an ongoing process that requires sustained effort and commitment. While progress has been made, our Talent Trends 2024 report clearly shows that there’s still work to be done.

By understanding and addressing women’s perspectives on workplace equity, organisations can create more inclusive environments that attract and retain female talent, foster innovation, and improve overall performance.

The message for hiring managers and leadership teams is clear: prioritising gender equity is not just about meeting DE&I targets but creating a workplace where all employees can thrive, contribute their best, and drive the organisation forward.

Get more insights on DE&I at the workplace

Discover the latest in workforce trends in our latest Michael Page Chinese Mainland Talent Trends 2024 report: The Expectation Gap. This survey report findings are based on responses from 12,940 job seekers, employees and employers across Asia Pacific, of which 2,500 are from the Chinese Mainland.

It covers career insights that talent leaders and hiring professionals need to know to attract and retain talent. Also, download our report or use our interactive online tool to gain deeper, up-to-date insights into the current talent market.