Throughout 2024, the growth in formal job vacancies held by women was greater than the growth in vacancies for men. While the balance of formal jobs for men grew by 10.1% between January and August of this year, compared to the same period in 2023, the balance for women increased by 45.18%. This growth contributes to a reduction in inequality in the labor market.
In absolute numbers, however, new jobs with a formal contract across the country are still more occupied by men. Their average salary is also higher than that of women.
The information is from the study Which groups will benefit most from the good performance of the job market in 2024?by researchers Janaína Feijó and Helena Zahar from the Brazilian Institute of Economics of Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV-Ibre) published this month in the Regis Bonelli Productivity Observatory.
“In the last eight months, the job market has performed well, with the creation of formal jobs above expectations and an increase in the average salary”, says the text, which adds: “This significant growth in the female balance generated a change in the composition of the total balance, making it less unequal”.
In absolute numbers, the balance of formal jobs among men increased from 841,273 in 2023 to 926,290 in 2024, which represents an increase of 10.1%. The total number is greater than the balance of positions held by women, which increased from 551,237 in 2023 to 800,269 in 2024 – totaling a growth of 45.18%. The balance of jobs is calculated taking into account admissions and discounting dismissals that were made in the period.
Considering the percentage of new vacancies occupied by men and women, the study shows that, in 2024, the country reduced inequality compared to previous years, but still maintains the majority of vacancies occupied by men.
In 2022, 56% of the remaining vacancies were filled by men and 44% by women. In 2023, this difference increased, around 60.4% of the balance of jobs created in Brazil were occupied by men and only 39.6% by women. Now, in 2024, women’s participation in the total balance has risen to 46.4%. The remaining 53.6% of vacancies created were filled by men.
Occupations and salaries
In relation to occupations, the data show that there was a strong absorption of female labor in occupations such as “Salespeople and commercial service providers” and “public service workers”, which had increases of 32,507 (270%) and 35,184 (255.1%) bonds, respectively.
Another highlight is the participation of women in the balance of “service workers”, which went from 54.8% of occupied positions to 61.5%. In the balance of “trade salespeople and service providers”, their participation doubled, going from 25.1% to 50.1%.
Among men, the biggest growth occurred in the categories “Clerks” (33.4%), “Workers with transversal functions” (27.3%) and “Salespeople and commercial service providers” (23.6%).
Regarding salaries, the survey shows that, in August 2024, the real average salary for admission was R$2,156.86. Considering only men, the average salary for admission in August 2024 was slightly higher than the average, reaching R$2,245. The average admission salary for women was R$2,031.
“Over the past 13 months, there have been small month-to-month variations, but the difference between the average salaries of men and women remains evident, with women consistently receiving an average entry salary of around 10% to 11% lower,” says the text.
Caged
The study uses data from the New General Register of Employed and Unemployed Persons (Caged), released by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (TEM) for August 2024. In total, in the month of August, Brazil recorded a positive balance of 232,513 jobs formal, with 2,231,410 admissions and 1,998,897 dismissals. This result represents a 5.8% growth in the creation of formal vacancies compared to August 2023.
