The shattered glass ceiling and a narrowing gender pay gap in NHS foundation trusts: gender and salaries of chief executives

ABSTRACT

Female chief executive officers (CEOs) of NHS foundation trusts have increased from 37% in 2012/13 to 47% in 2017/18. This paper shows that, in the five-year period analysed, the gender pay gap (GPG) has narrowed to become insignificant. The paper suggests the improvement of female presence and the narrowing of the GPG go hand-in-hand, at least for these public sector top managers. It also provides indication that the GPG is multifaceted, women may sacrifice high salaries for future financial security. Women and men could also be negotiating salaries in a different way, signalling gender traits differences.

IMPACT

For CEOs of NHS foundation trusts gender parity has been reached. In this context over a five-year period (2013–2018), salary differences between female and male CEOs have narrowed to an insignificant level. Results suggest that shattering the glass ceiling helps to reduce the GPG, and hence gender inequalities. However, the study also provides original insights into different components of the GPG: salary and pension benefits and the interplay of female risk aversion. Political leaders must take a wide perspective on pay when considering how to achieve their espoused aims of removing gender inequality.

KEYWORDS:

• CEO
• gender pay gap
• glass ceiling
• NHS foundation trust
• remuneration

Acknowledgements

This study was carried out with the financial support of the Spanish National Research and Development Plan (project ECO2015-66240-P MINECO/FEDER) and the Regional Government of Aragón/FEDER 2014-2020 “Building Europe from Aragón” (GESPUBLICA, project S56-17R).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID

Javier Garcia-Lacalle http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4660-6089

Sonia Royo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5162-1446