Building bridges?
I'm sure I was not the only working woman who initially reacted to David Cameron's 'new' initiative about bridging the gender pay gap with a small sigh. Haven't we heard it all before? And how effective will this new initiative actually be?
Why is it, so many years after the brave ladies of Ford, Dagenham put their livelihoods on the line, that we still have this pay gap? And, is it not now further deepened or worsened, by the application of race to the equation? Let alone any of the other characteristics that are deemed to be protected but still seem to be vulnerable to this kind of discrimination.
Will this situation really be solved by forcing companies to reveal their salary structures?
I suppose it may be improved in part. I'm heartened at least that there is a higher profile being given to those companies who are voluntarily adopting increased transparency regarding pay scales. There have recently been a few appearances on the news from leaders of small businesses that have chosen this route.
Quite rightly when asked about potential problems with such a strategy, one company owner's response was that he could only see potential problems from those who felt they were being over paid for their role. Pay transparency helps to engender a culture of trust in an organisation.
It may be seen as a brave step, but it's surely a sensible one as these discussions gather momentum. It may also help us to finally bridge that gap once and for all!
Why is it, so many years after the brave ladies of Ford, Dagenham put their livelihoods on the line, that we still have this pay gap? And, is it not now further deepened or worsened, by the application of race to the equation? Let alone any of the other characteristics that are deemed to be protected but still seem to be vulnerable to this kind of discrimination.
Will this situation really be solved by forcing companies to reveal their salary structures?
I suppose it may be improved in part. I'm heartened at least that there is a higher profile being given to those companies who are voluntarily adopting increased transparency regarding pay scales. There have recently been a few appearances on the news from leaders of small businesses that have chosen this route.
Quite rightly when asked about potential problems with such a strategy, one company owner's response was that he could only see potential problems from those who felt they were being over paid for their role. Pay transparency helps to engender a culture of trust in an organisation.
It may be seen as a brave step, but it's surely a sensible one as these discussions gather momentum. It may also help us to finally bridge that gap once and for all!