On Women’s Equality Day, People Management asked our COO Emily Smith for her thoughts on the challenges faced by women in the workplace.
In response she referenced figures from PwC’s Women in Work Index which highlight stark inequalities. In the UK the gender pay gap widened four times more the OECD average increase. According to PwC’s Senior Economist, an 18-year-old woman entering the workforce today will not see pay equality in her working lifetime.
To solve this, we have to focus on equity over equality. What does this look like? It means acknowledging that not everyone starts from the same position when entering the workforce and ensuring all staff have the same access to training, career progression and job security. It requires effective flexible working, maternity and menopause policies, to name a few initiatives.
We recognise that every employer has a part to play – which is why we offer 12 weeks’ full pay and 12 weeks’ half pay for maternity and surrogacy leave. We also have a pregnancy loss policy that provides 4 weeks’ leave with full pay to both women and their partners, and provide a menopause policy and flexible working allowances. Our team tell us that these have been ‘life-changing’.
