Global Wage Report (2024-25) released by International Labour Organization (ILO)

Posted 29 Nov 2024

2 min read

It provides detailed look at wage trends across the globe highlighting changes in wage inequality and real wage growth.

Key Findings

Trends in wage growth
- Global: After falling in 2022, global real wage growth recovered in 2023.
- Regional: Average wages are increasing faster in Asia and the Pacific, Central and Western Asia, and Eastern Europe compared to the rest of the world.
  - Around 9.5% of the Indian workers are low paid wage workers
Trends in labour income inequality
- Wage inequality: Overall it has witnessed a declining trend globally.
  - However, it is highest in low-income countries and lowest in high-income countries.
- Informal Economy: Women and workers are overrepresented at the low end of the wage distribution.
  - Moreover, informal employment has increased in absolute terms due to insufficient formal job creation
Labour Productivity (1999-2024): It has increased more rapidly in high-income countries than real wages.

Way forward

Increased research: Robust data and statistics should be used for measuring and estimating change in inequality.
National strategies to reduce wage inequality: Wages should be set with consideration of economic factors as well as needs of workers and their families and should promote gender equality, equity and non-discrimination
Redistribution of Income through system of taxes and social transfers: It should be followed with policies promoting productivity, decent work and the formalization of the informal economy

Do you Know?

The Palma ratio is a measurement of inequality calculated by dividing the total hourly wages of the top 10% of wage distribution by total hourly wages of the bottom 40% of wage distribution.