Conduct a gender pay check-up

This article first appeared on August 19, 2011.

With data showing the wage gap between men and women is getting bigger, it’s time to calculate the average wages of your own employees. Then ask yourself, what does that tell you?

It’s amazing to think in this day and age that the gap between what men and women in Australia get paid could actually be getting bigger.

However, that’s what the data says. Wages stats from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that in the year to May 2011, women were paid on average 82.5% of what men were paid – the lowest level in a staggering 23 years.

It’s not good enough and no doubt governments will continue to wring their hands about the problem.

But here at Taskmaster Enterprises, we’re going to take out own stand by completing an initial, very basic pay check-up to get us thinking about the issue.

The idea is pretty simple. First, get someone to calculate the average wages of males and females in your company. Then ask yourself, what does that tell you?

The answer may well be: Not much – seniority and the specific roles involved could well explain the differences.

After this basic test, perhaps look at another comparison – pick a male and a female in similar roles and with similar levels of experience. Are their pay levels different? If so, why?

I agree with Dr Diann Rodgers-Healey, executive director of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women, who says many companies may not even realise they have their own gender pay gaps and when they realise they will want to do something about it.

So have a look. Are you part of the problem?