More than half (58%) of employer respondents do not have salary information available across roles and genders, according to research by Totaljobs.
Its survey of 4,700 employees and 145 employers also found that 82% of employer respondents are not reviewing their gender equality or equal pay policy ahead of the introduction of gender pay gap reporting this month (April 2017).
The research also found:
- 32% of employer respondents are not reviewing salaries across genders to safeguard against pay discrimination.
- 53% of employer respondents feel very confident that salaries are equal across men and women in their workforce.
- 44% of female employee respondents believe men and women receive equal pay, compared to 58% of male employee respondents.
- 23% of female employee respondents believe men are paid more for the same role.
- 75% of female employee respondents do not feel comfortable asking for a higher salary.
- 75% of female employee respondents expect a higher salary if they move roles.
John Salt (pictured), director at Totaljobs, said: “Gender pay gap information reporting is a fantastic step taken by the government to address the issue of gender pay inequality and encourage employers to explore necessary reforms for a fair and inclusive remuneration structure. It’s imperative that we act now, especially when our research showed 51% of employers don’t coach or prepare their management on equal pay and gender equality.
“The remuneration decision-making process needs to be made more transparent; pay decisions should not be kept to the confines of top management and board meetings. Our research found 26% of men and 31% of women don’t know how their [organisation] makes decisions on salary and pay rises. This information should be readily available. This legislation forcing the review of pay structures could be the internal reflection organisations need to avoid future discrimination and effect positive cultural change.”