More than half (61%) of employer respondents cite reputational risk as one of their top three concerns around gender pay reporting, according to research by Mercer.
Its Gender pay reporting survey, which surveyed 114 public and private organisations, also found that 41% name equal pay cases as a top three concern, and 39% are worried about publication in gender pay gap league tables.
The research also found:
- 51% of respondents anticipate the new gender pay reporting measures to be difficult or very difficult.
- 75% of respondents feel they are ready or somewhat ready for the reporting regulations.
- 46% of respondents believe that the mandatory gender pay reporting regulations will make some difference, 27% feel they will make little difference, and 22% are unsure.
- 74% of respondents agree or strongly agree with the concept of gender pay reporting.
- 41% of respondents have conducted some analysis around gender pay bias in the last three years, including examining pay differentials by grade or level (36%).
- Only 3% of respondents have considered post maternity analysis in the past three years, and 11% have carried out analysis of starting salaries for men and women performing the same work.
- 83% of respondents plan on analysing their pay gap in the next 18 months.
- 40% of respondents describe the government’s definition of pay as complex, 31% as illogical, and 31% as burdensome.
Chris Charman, principle in talent business at Mercer, said: “The unclear way that pay is defined in the proposed regulations is not appreciated by businesses as it not only differs from existing equal pay legislation, but is quite alien to how [organisations] actually manage and define pay, bonus, shift pay and other reward programmes.”