July newsletter - GDPR and gender pay reporting

How we responded to GDPR
GDPR has been onerous, but we decided to embrace it as an opportunity to review all of our processes and to strengthen how we do things to make sure that client data is secured. For example, we've switched our cloud storage system to an EU provider with end-to-end encryption and have ditched email attachments in favour of secure file links to share data.

We've started to use a UK-based e-marketing provider and have taken steps like using Virtual Private Networks as standard to secure data when we're out and about. We've also updated our contracts to make sure that our clients can see exactly what steps we take to safeguard their information. ​

What's new... gender pay reporting
On the client side, as well as working on several pay structure projects and undertaking benchmarking for our regular clients, we've completed several pay audits recently. Companies that need to report on gender pay will soon have to analyse their April 2018 data, ready to file their figures by early next year. As this is Year 2, the focus of reporting will begin to turn to what progress has been made since April 2017. The emphasis will need to be placed on what action has been taken, how effective it has been - and what will be done moving forward.

For example, the BBC has just announced that its median gender pay gap has reduced from 9.3% to 7.6%, having taken steps to deal with some high profile equal pay issues. They have acknowledged that structural issues will need to be addressed to make progress to overcome the low representation of women in leadership roles and undertook a review in consultation with staff.

When helping clients with gender pay audits, we encourage them to look deeper than the statutory reporting requirements to understand where the gaps are by job level. The real challenge is to identify these, work out the underlying causes and then look at what steps might be taken to tackle these.

Beyond correcting any glaring equal pay issues you find, there are rarely any quick fixes and you need to be looking at setting up a realistic long term plan to bring about change. At the BBC, their review proposes some practical actions, such as addressing the gender balance of recruitment panels, more consideration of flexible benefits requests that support work-life balance, and improvements in the training and support for senior managers. ​

As well as helping you to consider the next steps, we can also provide comparisons with peer organisations' data and can look further according to your needs, such as measuring the ethnicity pay gap so it can be taken this into account in your plans. Take a look at our Gender pay audits page or contact us to find out how we might help you.