Want a culture of inclusion built on trust and transparency? Get ready to talk about gender and potential pay disparities, and talk about some of the company’s data points around compensation. Not just the Gender Pay Report that gets published. The basic gender pay information is often not useful on its own.
Firms should talk about the pay gap because it is an important issue that affects many people in the workforce. By acknowledging and addressing the pay gap, employers can create a more fair and equitable work environment for all employees.
It is important to have open communication channels so that employees can understand the data. If data is skewed for a variety of factors explain this to the employees in a straightforward, clear way. Firms should interrogate their data so that they have a clear understanding of what factors are influencing their data. For example, on analysis, the data collected may point to pay disparities resulting from or perpetuated by part-time and flexible working.
Also give employees an opportunity to discuss their feelings and opinions. Additionally, present to them with clarity, the strategy the firm is or will be using to address the gap and how employees can contribute to that strategy. That way, they will feel safe knowing that the firm is committed to taking action to bridge the gender pay gap.
This can also help to improve morale and productivity, as employees who feel valued and treated fairly are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work.
Further Reading:
- Gender pay gap reporting: setting the standard for the profession
- Legal services sector: Progress on gender pay gap, but still more to do
- Read: Gender pay gap reporting: what can we learn from the 2020 snapshot?
- Working smarter, not harder, to address the gender pay gap in the legal profession
- Watch: Fiona Woolf Lecture 2021 – The gender pay gap – mind the gap. Review and reflection
