There's a major part of the gender pay gap problem that no one is talking about

As companies submit their annual results on the gender pay gap, it’s clear to see that little progress has been made in the past year. Even high profile women are struggling to secure equal pay, with broadcaster Fiona Bruce revealing in an interview that she was once refused a pay rise because a BBC boss said she could rely on her boyfriend's salary. This is shocking, but sadly not surprising.

The gender pay gap persists in part because companies are ignoring one of the biggest causes – one that legislating on equality or positive discrimination won’t fix.

This silent culprit triggers women struggling against glass ceilings which are at least slightly self-imposed. It stops women putting ourselves forward for promotions we know we are capable of. It prevents us from asking for the pay rises we know we deserve. It stops us claiming the credit for our results, instead sharing that with our teams. I am, of course, talking about "Imposter Syndrome".

Imposter Syndrome makes women feel like frauds in certain spaces, prompting feelings of inadequacy and low confidence. Most of us can remember feeling this way in certain situations – and there's stats to prove it.

The initial results from the 2019 Imposter Syndrome Research Study show Imposter Syndrome affects men and women at similar rates, but men handle it differently. Men are significantly more likely to "push down" feelings that they’re not good enough, whereas women are more likely to subconsciously allow these secret fears to sabotage their success.

The research is showing that shockingly high percentages of high-achieving, confident women are routinely not speaking out about their brilliant ideas (46 per cent of respondents); not stepping up to take on projects that would let their talents shine (47 per cent); and not asking for pay rises (31 per cent) or promotions (45 per cent) they know they deserve. This causes them to be overlooked for the opportunities that their male colleagues are grasping with both hands, because too many highly capable women are secretly lying awake at night, worrying that they might be found out as a fraud or that people will realise they're "faking" their way to the top.

Among senior women in business, the figure who had not ask for a pay rise they knew they deserved is 63 per cent, and they put this down to Imposter Syndrome. In fact, there is strong evidence that women in this position are more likely to apply for a job elsewhere, in order to get that pay rise and promotion, than to raise it with their manager in the company where they are otherwise happy.

These subconscious play-it-small choices are costing businesses millions, if not billions, in terms of reduced productivity, missed opportunities, leadership development issues, staff retention, mental health problems, lack of diversity in leadership roles and gender pay gap issues.

This means that legislation alone won’t fix our gender equality problem. In fact, it sometimes risks making the situation worse, by triggering more severe cases of Imposter Syndrome and the corresponding self-sabotage behaviours it creates. The research shows that being promoted beyond a level at which you subconsciously feel you "belong" risks causing a significant stress response and more severe Imposter Syndrome, affecting performance, anxiety and productivity.

Yet it’s a silent epidemic in the business world. CEOs tell me they are scared to open up the conversation about it, in case it becomes an "excuse" for poor performance and a "badge of honour" amongst their workforce. So women in their teams have to pretend or force their way past their fears, pushing down those emotions and behaving more like men, in order to succeed.

Imposter Syndrome is badly misunderstood, rarely recognised for what it is and almost never adequately supported in the business world. Admitting you’re struggling with it is a taboo we need to smash. ng business leaders until we create a culture change. We need to grow businesses that allow everyone to thrive and share the best of their talents, without fear, without having to wear subconscious masks and where women are valued for who we really are, rather than having to play a role to conform with the company’s expectations of who a leader should be.

Clare Josa is the author of Ditching Imposter Syndrome