Besides age composition, there are also changes occurring in gender composition. Women have been entering the workforce in record numbers over last four decades. By 1975 they accounted for approximately 40 percent of the total and at the turn of the century women make up about half the workforce. This diversity development can and should dramatically change the policies and day-to -day practices of organizations.
The latest statistics show that women are still being paid far less than men. Some analyses try to explain away this disparity by noting that many women do not have the same time in the job as men, so their salaries are lower, another commonly cited reason is that many women want to spend time at home with their children, so they are willing to accept slower career progression and lower salaries. These types of reasons fall short of explaining the large disparities that still exist between men and women in the workplace.