Men are more likely to ask for a pay rise than women, according to a survey by HR software provider Ciphr.

The research into the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on UK employees revealed that women were less likely than men to have requested a salary increase this year despite being equally affected by rising living costs. Of the 1,000 people polled by Ciphr around a third (35%) are said to be discontent with what they are being paid to do their jobs.

Meanwhile, 38% of the female employees surveyed do not think that their salary adequately reflects the value they bring to their organisation with their skills and experience, compared to less than a third (32%) of male employees surveyed. A similar number of people also disagree with the statement ‘my salary reflects my role and responsibilities’ (37% of women vs 32% of men).

In comparison, 51% of men do feel adequately rewarded for their efforts, with 49% agreeing that their salary reflects their skills and experience, and 51% that it is reflective of their current role and responsibilities. Less than half of women (45%) agree with either of those statements.

Conversely, despite more women feeling underpaid, men are more likely to have requested a raise recently, with 36% of male workers, compared with 26% of female workers, having asked for a pay rise.

Men who are not happy with their pay are even more likely to push for higher wages. Nearly half (48%) of those who disagree (and strongly disagree) that their salary matches their skills and experience have asked for more money. A third (32%) of women who feel the same way have done the same.

Even men who can’t decide if they are being paid fairly or not, are still, statistically, more likely to have asked for a pay rise than women who know that they are unhappy with their wages (38% vs 32% respectively).

The study also found that men were also shown to be more likely to have asked for a cost-of-living bonus (14% vs 7% of women surveyed), for a promotion (22% vs 17%), or for more employee benefits to top up their income (16% vs 11%).

Ciphr suggested this gender ‘ask gap’ (where women ask for, or expect, lower salaries than comparable men) could be contributing to, and compounding, existing pay gaps at many organisations.

As it currently stands, according to the Office for National Statistics, the UK’s median gender pay gap is 14.9% for all employees (and 8.3% for full-time employees), with women’s hourly pay lagging men’s hourly pay in most occupations. Women working in the private sector also have to contend with a bigger pay gap than those in the public sector (19.6% vs 15.9%).

Claire Williams, chief people officer at Ciphr, said, “Employers must be held accountable for doing what they can to reduce salary discrepancies, where they see them, within their organisations to ensure that all employees are being fairly financially rewarded for their efforts, and the value they bring to the business.”