Still minding the gender pay gap

 

 

Over 40 years since the introduction of equal pay legislation within the UK, the issue of the gender pay gap continues to hit the headlines. Figures released by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) at the end of August indicated that, for the first time since its records began, females were earning slightly more than their male counterparts, but only at junior executive level. However, this apparent cause for celebration was tempered by a more detailed examination of the full results from the survey, illustrating once again that achieving equal pay more broadly remains a somewhat distant goal – 98 years away, if the present rate of progress is maintained!

 

Achieving greater transparency in workforce matters is seen as central to driving forward the necessary improvements in pay and gender equality, and in achieving greater female representation at senior management levels. In support of this objective, the Government recently launched an initiative to address gender inequality in the workplace, through the use of a voluntary reporting framework, Think, Act, Report. Aimed at employers in the private and voluntary sectors, it is designed to encourage and support organisations to improve gender equality through a simple, step-by-step approach, and by providing a framework of suggested measures, including pay, to report on.

 

Within the public sector, the new Equality Duty carries with it specific requirements in relation to the publication of workforce information. The general duty, which came into effect on 5 April this year, requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations. This is underpinned by a number of specific duties which are intended to help public bodies in the better performance of the duty. Following a review of the specific duties proposals earlier this year, the final Regulations have now been published and came into effect on 10 September.

 

As public bodies plan and prepare for the publication of the relevant equality information and of their equality objectives under the Equality Duty, Deborah Moon, HR Consultant, takes a look at the Think, Act, Report framework, along with other actions and initiatives within the broader employment market, and how these may inform and assist public sector employers in progressing the diversity agenda.

 

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