Improving the gender pay gap in companies in Ireland involves implementing a combination of policies, practices, and cultural changes. Here are several steps companies can take:
Conduct Pay Audits
Regular Pay Audits: Perform regular, comprehensive pay audits to identify disparities between male and female employees.
Transparency: Share the results of these audits with employees and stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability.
Develop Clear Remuneration Policies
Standardise Pay Structures: Implement clear and standardised pay scales and salary bands to ensure equal pay for equal work.
Performance-based Pay: Ensure that bonuses and other performance-based pay elements are awarded based on clear, objective criteria.
Promote Flexible Working Arrangements
Flexible Hours: Offer flexible working hours and remote work options to accommodate the needs of all employees, particularly those with caregiving responsibilities.
Parental Leave: Provide equitable parental leave policies that encourage both men and women to take leave.
Support Career Development
Mentorship and Sponsorship Programs: Establish mentorship and sponsorship programs to support the career advancement of women within the company.
Training and Development: Invest in leadership training and professional development programs targeted at women.
Review Recruitment and Promotion Practices
Bias-free Recruitment: Implement blind recruitment processes to minimise unconscious bias in hiring.
Equitable Promotion Criteria: Ensure that promotion criteria are clear, objective, and free from gender bias.
Foster an Inclusive Workplace Culture
Diversity and Inclusion Training: Provide regular training on diversity, inclusion, and unconscious bias to all employees.
Inclusive Policies: Develop and enforce policies that support a diverse and inclusive workplace, such as zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination.
Set and Track Goals
Gender Diversity Goals: Set specific, measurable goals for gender diversity at all levels of the organsation.
Regular Monitoring: Monitor progress towards these goals and adjust strategies as needed.
Leverage Technology
HR Analytics: Use HR analytics tools to monitor and address pay disparities and to support decision-making in recruitment, promotions, and pay raises.
Engage Leadership
Executive Commitment: Ensure that the company’s leadership is committed to addressing the gender pay gap and holds themselves accountable for progress.
Leadership Representation: Strive for gender balance in leadership positions and on boards of directors.
Collaborate and Share Best Practices
Industry Collaboration: Work with other companies and industry groups to share best practices and strategies for reducing the gender pay gap.
Public Reporting: Participate in public reporting initiatives to benchmark progress against industry standards.
Support External Initiatives
Government Programs: Engage with and support government initiatives aimed at reducing the gender pay gap.
Community Involvement: Participate in community programs that support gender equality and economic empowerment for women.
Implementing these strategies requires a sustained commitment from all levels of the organisation, from the top leadership to individual employees. By taking a proactive approach, companies in Ireland can make significant strides in reducing the gender pay gap and fostering a more equitable workplace.
The gender pay gap is the difference in the average hourly wage of men and women across a workforce.
The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 requires organisations to report on their hourly gender pay gap across a range of metrics.
From 2022, organisations with over 250 employees began reporting on their Gender Pay Gap.
Now, organisations with over 150 employees are being asked to report on their Gender Pay Gap for the first time in 2024.
The Regulations which set out the detail on how these calculations will be made are published at the link below:
- The Employment Equality Act 1998 (section 20A)(Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2022
- The Employment Equality Act 1998 (section 20A)(Gender Pay Gap Information)(Amendment) Regulations 2024
These Regulations have been updated to reflect the reporting obligations of organisations with over 150 employees.
If you would like to chat to one of our team about how your organisation can implement the changes above, you can drop us a mail to info@backtoworkconnect.ie
