Gender pay gap | Men 'more successful' than women when asking for pay rises, data reveals

Despite being one of the most important factors of work life, discussing pay with bosses is an issue fraught with anxiety for many employees.

And the issue has been thrust into the spotlight once again, with new reports suggesting that gender plays an unwelcome role in salary negotiations.

As reported by The Guardian, just just one in five women who ask for a pay rise are successful in receiving one. By comparison, just under a third of men who ask for more money achieve a pay rise, according to a new YouGov survey of more than 16,000 adults. The poll also found that of the 40% of people who asked for a pay rise, just over a quarter succeeded.

Out of the respondents, 43% of men had asked for a pay rise, compared with 33% of women. Out of these, 31% of the men were successful, while 21% of women got their pay increase. Furthermore, among 18-29 workers, 18% of men and 16% of women have asked for a pay rise and received one. However, for adults in their 30s, just under a third (31%) of men who asked for a pay rise were successful, compared with 19% of women.