Bonus round: men get double

Male accountants were paid double the bonuses of their female equivalents in the financial year ended June 30, 2013, according to recruitment specialists Lloyd Morgan.

The Lloyd Morgan MySalaryPortal showed male accountants received an average bonus of $12,900 last year compared with $6,400 for females. Western Australia recorded the largest discrepancy with the average male bonus almost hitting $15,000 while female professionals received $6,000.

The data also showed that the gender pay gap widened by a further $1,300 from the previous financial year, prompting the Institute of Chartered Accountants to call for gender equality in both remuneration and career opportunities.

ICAA chief executive Lee White said industry leaders needed to do more to ensure women had the same participation choices, pay and career progression as men.

“At a time when Australia’s productivity needs to lift to ensure our long-term economic prosperity, addressing workplace gender inequality should be a priority for all of us,” he said.

“Pay equity is a key part of achieving gender equality in the workforce. The accounting profession has made considerable progress in attracting more women into the workforce but we still have a long way to go.”

Lloyd Morgan executive general manager Paul Barbaro (pictured) said employers needed to be transparent about the opportunities in their practice and focus on the skills and passion of a candidate not their gender.

He said employers faced a potential strain on available talent with demand expected to pick up in 2014 in line with growth in the economy.

“While many professions have suffered considerable slumps in skills requirements over the past six months, we have seen the accounting profession remain relatively stable,” Barbaro said.

“Demand for accountants is largely balanced after rallying in the September quarter. There exists a small surplus of 400 accountants compared to a surplus of 1,000 in the June quarter.”