Tatyana Ivakhnenko, Researcher of the Mathematical Modeling of Economic Processes Department at the Gaidar Institute, explained factors contributing to a record growth in the gap of wages between men and women in a commentary for Nezavisimaya Gazeta, which according to data from the RAS Institute of Socio-Economic Studies of Population, has reached its highest level since 2011. Researchers attribute this trend to a unique situation in the labor market, where record low unemployment is combined with a record labor shortage, leading to accelerated wage growth in "male" industries.
Tatiana Ivakhnenko also pointed to the impact of modern economic processes. "Accelerated digitalization and growing demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) professions are also contributing to the growing gap. These high-paying fields in Russia remain gender-uneven," the expert emphasized.
Furthermore, she noted the structural characteristics of employment, noting that women are more likely to work part-time or in flexible positions, which also impacts income levels.