Employers identify the business benefits of reducing pay inequalities between men and women

Eight out of 10 employers claim they are actively tackling pay gaps between men and women, research has found.

A benchmarking survey conducted by Opportunity Now, a body that helps employers build workplace cultures that are inclusive to women, found that 60% of employers have a detailed business case addressing the benefits of gender equality and diversity and how it affects business performance. 

According to Opportunity Now, the impact is measured through employee recruitment and retention, customer satisfaction, increased revenue and effective financial governance, as well as creativity and innovation. The figure is up by 25% on the 2006 survey result.

Moreover, nearly one-third of employers, up from 20% in 2006, now have effective structures to tackle segregation of gender-specific jobs, including specific recruitment drives, job shadowing, open days and senior management commitment to change.

The survey also finds that 19% of organisations are ensuring equality of pay through all their systems and procedures – an 11% increase on the 2006 figure. 

Meg Munn, deputy minister for Women and Equality, said: “As the benchmarking survey shows, employers are increasingly aware that addressing equality and diversity in the workplace is a necessity, not a luxury. This is encouraging news as we continue to take action to improve the prospects of women in the labour market. When employers get this right, it not only benefits women, it also benefits the businesses, the economy and society as a whole.”

The Opportunity Now survey was completed by 94 employers in the public, private and education sectors.