On a standard $100k salary, women in Australia are paid 28% less than men —a sobering, if not entirely unexpected, reality of the modern workforce. Getting to the crux of the issue is essential for meaningful change, says Peeplcoach.
The annual pay and remuneration data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), highlights a persistent $28,425 gap in total remuneration between men and women in Australia. However, a more startling insight comes from Finder’s 2025 State of Women’s Wealth report: the pay gap is rooted in childhood.
According to the data, girls receive an average of $7.50 in weekly pocket money, while boys receive $10.30.
That 37% discrepancy suggests that long before a woman ever signs her first employment contract, she has been conditioned by a system that values her contribution differently.
The Subconscious Understanding of Value
At its core, this isn’t just a “numbers” problem; it’s a socialisation problem. By the time a woman enters a professional environment, she may already be operating under unconscious beliefs regarding her worth, her right to negotiate, and her visibility.
This isn’t about blaming parents—it’s a wake-up call for organisations to realise that the pay gap starts with perception, not just payroll. Peeplcoach is a coaching company who works with thousands of professionals and have observed that these early value systems create distinct patterns in the workplace.
Breaking the Cycle: Systemic vs. Individual Fixes
Often, organisations fall into the trap of telling women to “be more confident” or “speak up more.” This places the burden of change entirely on the individual. In fact, according to Christine Khor, CEO, Founder and Lead Coach at Peeplcoach, there are often two major forces at play:
Structural Hurdles: Women still face cultural expectations and barriers that men simply do not.
Stagnant Systems: Many companies have yet to evolve their leadership cultures to counteract these ingrained biases.
Common Barriers Women Self-Impose
- A tendency to wait for recognition rather than asking for a raise.
- Fear of being labeled “difficult” or “aggressive” for showing assertiveness.
- A heightened pressure to be a “people pleaser” and avoid disappointing the team.
Undervaluing personal skills and professional experience.
It’s Not About “Fixing” Women
While many male leaders are eager to champion equity, they are often blind to how unconscious bias dictates their decisions. They might mistake a woman’s quiet diligence for a lack of ambition, or naturally gravitate toward mentees who mirror their own communication styles.
Peeplcoach believes coaching is a powerful tool—but it isn’t a silver bullet. True progress requires a systemic overhaul. Organisations must move beyond one-off workshops and embed equity into their DNA through:
- Transparent Pay Frameworks: Removing the guesswork from promotions.
- Formal Sponsorship: Moving beyond old boys’ clubs to ensure women are mentored for strategic roles.
- Bias Training: Teaching leaders to recognise inclusive decision-making in real-time.
- Psychological Safety: Creating environments where being assertive isn’t a career risk.
The Path Forward
The gender pay gap is a reflection of who we choose to see and who we choose to reward. If we want to move the needle, we have to stop trying to fix women and start fixing the structures that limit them. Real change requires us to reflect on how we lead and what we truly value. As the data suggests, those lessons might start much earlier than we ever imagined.