Does the concept of Equal Pay Day make you feel uncomfortable?

Does the concept of Equal Pay Day make you feel uncomfortable?

‍

It’s a conversation that has to be had - so let us have it.

‍

Compensation discrimination is not just about gender bias; racial inequality, age discrimination and ableism all play a big part in payment disparity. In an extremely transparent day and age, people value equal pay now more than ever, and companies are listening.

‍

Equality in the workplace doesn’t just mean being paid equally, it means being offered equal opportunities from the onset. A study done by Hired shows that in 2021, 36.7% of positions for interview requested to be offered only to male candidates, and 49% asked to receive only White or Asian candidates. In the UK, USA and Canada, 61.8% of tech positions were offering women a lower average wage than their male counterparts. How long can we continue to make excuses and is ignorance really bliss?

‍

Tech companies make up almost 3 million jobs in the UK alone, and seeing tech companies take the forefront of changing the equal pay game makes our hearts swell 💗

‍

Criteo has completely annihilated its pay gap by implementing a Pay Parity Action Plan. Their policy ensures that there is no discrimination throughout the whole recruitment process, and continuing on in their career once successful. A person's intersectional identity can no longer be used to minimise career progression, salary increases or other benefits, and because of this fantastic plan, in 2021 Criteo officially had a 0% pay gap.

‍

How did they do it? To maintain a 0% pay gap, Criteo’s plan requires regular pay equity analysis and to remedy any discrepancies, with all salaries being compared to the current market. Every candidate and staff member is assessed on their relevant skills and experience instead of things that mean very little when it comes to the quality of work provided, such as age or gender. Criteo has also begun a company-wide training regime called “Understand Your Unconscious Bias” provided by different businesses, such as The British Disability Forum, which is actively available and thoroughly encouraged to every team member. They also partner with different communities in and out of their workplace, such as the Pride community and the BIPOC community, to ensure every person has a voice and is supported throughout their workspace.

‍

Gen Z sits very firmly at the helm of the future of technology, given most of them grew up surrounded by fast-paced innovation. “Zoomers” have done fantastic things for the way we look at the world, they gave us TikTok, they care about the environment, but most important of all, their desires as they enter the workforce are focused on equality. A study done by Fair Play Talks revealed that 62% of Gen Z were more likely to apply to a company who have made a commitment to equal pay.

‍

The minds of tomorrow overwhelmingly care about pay transparency, equality and diversity in the workplace and by 2030, they will make up a third of the workforce, so it's time to start listening. Actions speak louder than words, good intentions aren’t enough for the next generation of workers and they are willing to walk away if they don't feel their values align with the culture of a company.

‍

We have come so far in terms of equality in the workplace, but the final push is often the hardest, like the final 100-metre sprint in a race or the closing sentence of an article 👀

‍