The Big Picture
We observed that women under the age of 28 are on the move and outnumber men roughly 1.7:1. At age 30 the age gap evens out. There were approximately the same number of females age 30+ as male age 30+ respondents. That said, there are still significantly more men than women in Senior and Leadership positions.
Women are not advancing in title or salary at the same pace as men. The disparity between male and female salaries begins as early as day one entering the workforce. A noticeable shift occurs, however, when we looked at Senior and Leadership levels where men outnumber and significantly out-earn women.
Fact for Thought
Only about 26% of reporting designers are parents. Of those parents, 59% are dads and 41% are moms. Of the female respondents, 80% do not have children.
On the Bright Side for Women
While women hold only 39% of the leadership positions and make less money than men, the females report working 2-3 hours less per week than males and they feel equally “good” about the hours they do work (if not a bit better). They also feel equally valued at work and they feel they have the same impact.
Generational Differences
We observed that the majority of younger, Junior designers of both genders are working 40 hour weeks and report more unhappiness than their older counterparts when their hours go above or below that 40 hour sweet spot. This is counterintuitive to the age-old expectation that you “pay your dues” when you are young. Ironically, the majority of those in leadership positions are working 50 hours or more per week.