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The deadline for all businesses employing more than 250 people to reveal their Gender Pay Gap data is now upon us and a hot topic within the media.

Uncovering the Gender Pay Gap in the UK a report by Instant Offices has delved into the issue to understand the steps that can be taken to bridge the gap.

According to the data revealed by the ONS, Britain has the fifth largest gender pay gap in Europe behind Estonia, Czech Republic, Germany, and Austria, but ahead of countries like Poland and Greece.

In London, the gender pay gap has barely changed in over two decades, with full-time female employees earning 14.6% less per hour than their male counterparts. According to the latest reports, London is now the region with the biggest pay gap, on average, between male and female full-time workers in the UK.

This can be compared to 1997 when the gender gap sat at 15.1 % – which means it has narrowed by a mere 0.5% in twenty years. However due to the gap in male and female salaries, women start working for free in the UK from 10 November – a date that has remained the same in 2015 and 2016.

While the gender gap in the UK has been steadily closing, the average woman in the workplace still earns 9.1% less than the average man.

Data revealed that men working full-time earned an average of £592 a week in April compared to the £494 earned by women during the same period.

Additionally, there are certain occupations that have bigger pay gaps than others, with jobs like town planners, musicians, and vehicle and metal goods assemblers with a startling 34% pay gap.

Steps Taken to Bridge the Gap

All UK companies and public sector organisations with 250 or more employees are required to publicly report on their gender pay gap as a result of new government legislation that came into effect in April 2017.

At the time of writing, only 3000 of the estimated 9000 companies have come forward and released their numbers, while there have been no reports from the financial services sector.




That said, there are a few things companies could look into to help narrow the gender gap:

Incentivise paternity leave

Businesses can be made more female-friendly by incentivising paternity leave for dads. If fathers have additional paternity leave, mothers can return to work sooner, work more hours and earn more money, while allowing fathers more bonding time with their newborns. Sweden has been a trailblazer since 1974 as there is now a new incentive for dads to spend a full three months at home. Fathers are granted 90 days leave, which is allocated on a use-it-or-lose-it basis, which means that if the father does not take the time off work, then the couple as a whole will lose out on three months paid leave. Shared parental leave was introduced in the UK in 2015, although not all parents qualify.

Subsidise childcare


Introduce remote working


There is a common misconception that mothers working from home are less ambitious than their colleagues are. On the contrary, according to a survey by Ernst and Young, 64% of working women who enjoyed flexible working hours claimed to have a clear career path compared to 10% of women who worked fixed hours. While flexible working conditions enable mothers to juggle work, childcare, and family commitments, it also allows more time for essential tasks.

Be transparent about pay


Ensure that promotions and rewards are fair


Give female employees a raise

Giving female employees a raise can eliminate the gender pay gap in the most pain-free way. Not only are employees enjoying equal pay, but, as more companies are being scrutinised and being forced to publish their gender pay gap reports, it provides the best strategy for businesses to continue operations with minimal disruptions and additional pressure.

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