Men working in New Zealand’s ICT sector are awarded bonus payment that are up to +50% higher than their female colleagues, according to a study from mysalaryportal.co.nz.

The survey of 5,316 professionals by ICT recruitment specialists Candle revealed that over the past year 27% of ICT workers received an average bonus of NZD 12,014 (USD 10,035), an increase of just +3% compared with the previous year.

Data revealed that the average bonus received by male ICT professionals was NZD 13,176 (USD 11,005) compared to a NZD 8,624 (USD 7,203) for women - a gap of NZD 4,552 (USD 3,802).

Similar research undertaken in Australia revealed a gap of just under half that at NZD 2,845 (USD 2,376).

Troy Hammond, Country Manager for Candle New Zealand, said the discrepancy between the genders reflects the sheer numbers of men in IT, which has been a traditional career path, although this is changing: "The bulk of the IT workforce in New Zealand is male and that's reflected in the bonus payments but looking at the market now, we're seeing a lot more women going into IT, particularly in sales roles, and having a lot of success.”