IWD 2022 (Danish Conditions) - Equal Pay

Challenges:

The gender pay gap is a well-known phenomenon illustrating the earnings imbalance between male and female workers to focus on a transparent discussion and improvements focussing on gender pay inclusion in businesses. Employers must ensure every employee can expand their role towards higher-paying positions. This could mean reviewing how your organisation views maternity and paternity leave, addressing unconscious bias, or facilitating professional development. Above all, it’s about making a continued, concerted effort; meaningful change cannot occur overnight.

Economically speaking,?COVID-19 has impacted women?greatly. From their high levels of representation across COVID-hit industries such as hospitality to those leaving full-time employment due to struggles balancing work and caregiving and low employment figures for women in late 2020, they have been one of the pandemic’s biggest victims. Resolving gender disparity is complex and is made more so by the severity of the global crisis. Whilst employers have understandably shifted their focus to business survival, it is important they don’t lose sight of their gender pay goals.

Suggested solutions:

Pay gap analysis enables companies to actively recognise and work towards improving the gender pay gap, acting as a benchmark for the entire organisation. But it also goes further, helping employers show their workers they are supported and that the organisation remains conscious of their role in working towards equality. With women over-represented in sectors (such as the service industry) hit hardest by the pandemic – and bearing the brunt of childcare and caring responsibilities as lockdowns continue – it is more important than ever that employers stand up and address the pay gap head-on.