The wage gap between men and women in Belgium is at least 5% high in nearly a quarter of Belgian companies.
The study, conducted by HR consultancy firm Hudson, analysed 251,916 salary packages across 950 organisations.
The gap is unsurprisingly in favour of male employees, with women earning at least 5% less than men in 22% of Belgian companies.
Meanwhile, one in twenty companies (5.5%) reported a wage gap of more than 5% in favour of female workers. Medium-sized companies (50 – 250 employees) face this disparity more frequently.
The European Union adopted a directive in 2023 aimed at salary transparency, stipulating that the wage gap between genders must not exceed 5%. Member states are required to incorporate this directive into their laws by June 2026, with penalties for non-compliance.
Overall, the gender pay gap comparing earnings for men and women in identical roles at the same age stands at 2.41% for Belgian employees. The study found significant disparities among middle managers (5.43%) and senior managers (6.17%). Notably, just one in four senior managers is a woman, highlighting an imbalance in these roles.
