THE F IRST YEAR THROUGH THE LENS OF THE PAYROLL INDUSTRY
l Numbers of employers uploading their results to the gender pay gap reporting service continue to increase slowly but in scanning published reports, it was revealed how diverse companies are when it comes to displaying their gender pay gap data together with the written statements and narratives and also what action companies are taking to address gender imbalance and reduce their gender pay gaps. l Throughout our research the total commitment and engagement of members of the profession and more widely across all sectors, to this policy and to the mandation of gender pay gap reporting, has shone through. This can be demonstrated through the gender pay gap viewing service and across all sectors where there are many good examples to be found of employers taking action to implement measures needed to reduce gender pay gaps. l The inclusion of research findings that had previously gathered views about the proposed measures that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) intend to take to enforce gender pay gap reporting we can see that there is agreement that it is reasonable to prioritise enforcement action for failure to publish information in the first year and the proposal for an escalating response to be taken by EHRC appears to be sensible. Nevertheless the CIPP continues to call for a ‘light touch’ approach to be taken for year one, in recognition of the impact that delayed regulations and guidance had on employer and industry preparation. l We need to see the Government Equalities Office together with Equality and Human Rights Commission reclaim the headlines. Confusion abounds around the difference between equal pay and gender pay gaps. This is not helped by the media sensationalising their headlines. l The Secretary of State will review, within five years of commencement, these regulations and publish a report on whether they meet policy objectives or impose an unnecessary burden. There have already been many calls for a review of the elements of pay and reward that can be included within the average hourly rate. Significant concerns continue to be raised by the potentially misleading results caused due to the exclusion of the value of salary sacrifice amounts. l Regulations need to be finessed to match non statutory guidance - where the average hourly rate will distort the results and the hourly rate is clearly known during the snapshot period and guidance would benefit from the inclusion of more examples. Many factors will need to change in order to achieve full transparency, diversity and inclusion, but what this research has shown us through survey results and in face to face interviews and discussions is that all sectors within the payroll profession have, as they do with all other new mandatory requirements, engaged wholeheartedly to ensure the successful delivery of gender pay gap reporting.
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THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PAYROLL PROFESSIONALS
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