3. BARRIERS TO PROGRESS AND PRACTICAL ACTIONS LACK OF DATA AND TRANSPARENCY One of the most persistent barriers to addressing the ethnicity pay gap is the limited availability and quality of accurate, granular, and transparent data. While national-level datasets, such as those produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), can provide high-level insights, they are often hindered by methodological challenges. For example, the ONS dataset from 2012–2022 sampled less than 1% of the working population, with inconsistent methodologies and a reliance on aggregated figures that obscure meaningful differences between ethnic subgroups, regions, and occupational levels. At the organisational level, the picture is similarly constrained. Many employers do not collect detailed ethnicity and pay data, and where data is gathered, it is frequently incomplete, poorly analysed, or withheld from publication due to fear of reputational risk. This lack of transparency undermines trust, limits accountability, and leaves staff, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, without a clear sense of whether progress is being made or whether their concerns are being taken seriously. Even when data is shared, it often takes the form of broad headline figures, percentages devoid of context or connection to lived experience. This reductive approach risks depersonalising the issue and overlooks the structural, cultural, and interpersonal dynamics that shape disparities. Ethnicity pay gaps are not simply statistical anomalies, they are the cumulative result of deeply embedded practices and assumptions across the employment lifecycle. PRACTICAL ACTIONS FOR MAKING CHANGES Organisations must therefore move beyond compliance-driven data exercises and adopt a more critical, ethical, and purposeful approach to data use. This includes: Collecting disaggregated data to capture the experiences of different ethnic groups. Analysing data in the context of role, grade, progression, and retention. Engaging affected communities in interpreting findings and shaping responses. Being transparent with data, not just to meet expectations, but to build credibility and drive informed action.
“Publish! Be honest, include narrative and lived experience safely and meaningfully.” – Bernadette Thompson OBE
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