Introduction: This week our host Michelle Gyimah explores what true success looks like when it comes to closing the pay gap.

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Success is not just about meeting legal requirements for reporting pay gaps. It's about creating a culture where equality is ingrained in every organisational process, from recruitment to promotion.

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Success in pay gap reduction should be measured by long-term impacts such as employee retention, satisfaction, and the growth of diverse talent in leadership roles.

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Organisations need to focus on more than just reducing the numbers; they should aim for comprehensive measures that include policy changes, fostering an inclusive culture, and continuous monitoring and improvement.

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Quote Highlight: "Success in pay gap reduction isn’t just about the numbers; it's about the retention and satisfaction of diverse talent."

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Tune in next week for a special case study episode where our host Michelle Gyimah shares how one organisation successfully reduced its pay gap by nearly 15% over three years.

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For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Michelle’s training: Solve Your Biggest Pay Gap Issue in a Day: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1170224

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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Introduction: In this episode, host Michelle Gyimah discusses common misconceptions about pay gaps and the metrics that organisations often chase without achieving real impact.

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Many organisations focus on metrics like the average pay gap without digging deeper into the underlying causes. Michelle emphasises that understanding the root causes—such as gender bias in promotions or unequal access to high-paying roles—is key to making real progress.

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Organisations should prioritise actionable steps, such as conducting regular salary audits, providing bias training for leadership, and setting measurable diversity and inclusion goals.

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Michelle stresses that leadership buy-in is essential for closing the pay gap. Training leaders to understand and act on pay gap issues is more effective than relying on surface-level metrics.

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Quote Highlight: "Chasing the wrong metrics will keep you in a loop; instead, focus on measurable actions that bring real change."

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Tune in next week to hear your host Michelle Gyimah reveal what true pay gap success looks like.

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For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Michelle’s training: Solve Your Biggest Pay Gap Issue in a Day: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1170224

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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Welcome to the Beyond the Pay Gap Figure Podcast. In this episode, our guest is Susan Grayson, an expert in creating inclusive workplaces, especially for women experiencing menopause. Susan discusses the challenges women face in the workplace due to menopause and shares insights into how organisations can become more inclusive.

Susan discusses how menopause is often overlooked as a factor affecting women’s career progression. Women experiencing severe symptoms may struggle with attendance, performance, and confidence, leading to potential career setbacks. Addressing these issues through supportive policies is crucial for retaining talented women.

By addressing issues related to menopause, companies can retain experienced professionals and reduce turnover, especially in male-dominated sectors.

Tune in next week to hear your host Michelle Gyimah discuss common misconceptions about pay gaps and the metrics organisations often chase without achieving real impact.

Quote Highlight: "Employers need to understand that creating an inclusive environment goes beyond policy – it’s about understanding and support."

For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Michelle’s training: Solve Your Biggest Pay Gap Issue in a Day: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1170224

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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Introduction:

Welcome to the Beyond the Pay Gap Podcast. In this episode, we are pleased to have Aurélien Joly, the Communication Manager for the Equal Salary Foundation. Aurélien discusses the foundation’s work in certifying companies for equal pay and opportunities, and shares insights into the certification process and its benefits.

The certification involves a detailed salary analysis, considering factors such as education, age, gender, and job functions, to ensure fair pay practices. Companies undergo a rigorous audit process and must meet specific criteria to achieve certification.

Certified companies often see increased employee satisfaction, more promotions for women, and improved employer branding. Certification also helps in risk mitigation and legal compliance.

The foundation continues to support certified companies through regular audits. Aurélien emphasizes the strategic importance of equal pay certification for organisational resilience, talent retention, and legal preparedness, particularly in light of evolving European regulations.

Aurélien advises the certification can help align with global standards and attract diverse talent.

For more information about the Equal Salary Foundation and its services, visit [equalsalary.org](https://equalsalary.org). The website includes a list of certified companies and contact details for further inquiries.

Quote Highlight:

"It’s about being proactive so that you're not caught on the backfoot and caught out because you haven't been doing this work in advance."

Thank you, Aurélien, for sharing valuable insights into the Equal Salary Foundation and the importance of equal pay certification. For our listeners, please check the show notes for more information and contact details. Join us in our next episode for more discussions on bridging the pay gap.

You can connect with them at the following places

For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Sign up to access lots of pay gaps resources: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1071087

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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Introduction:

In this episode of "Beyond The Pay Gap Figure," we welcome Sharna Matson Knight from Cadent Gas Limited. Sharna shares her experiences and insights as the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Manager, discussing Cadent's gender pay gap, the initiatives they have implemented, and the journey towards creating an inclusive workplace.

Explaining how Cadent's gender pay gap has fluctuated due to organizational changes and stresses the importance of transparency and providing a narrative to drive change. Employee communities and networks play a significant role in driving change and offering feedback.

Sharna highlights the challenges of addressing the gender pay gap and the importance of understanding its underlying factors. She emphasizes the need for transparency and informed strategic decisions.

Cadent voluntarily reports its ethnicity pay gap, which has positively impacted transparency and inclusion. Creating a safe culture for data disclosure remains a focus.

Sharna outlines goals like attracting more women to operational roles and enhancing workforce flexibility. Learning from other organizations and utilizing AI and external expertise are key strategies. She emphasizes authenticity and honesty in communicating progress and challenges.

Quote Highlight:

"Addressing pay gaps proactively not only prevents legal and financial repercussions but also enhances your brand's reputation and aligns with global standards of fairness."

Thank you, Sharna, for sharing your insights and experiences. Join us next time on "Beyond The Pay Gap Figure" for more discussions on addressing pay disparities. Don't forget to subscribe to catch every episode!

This episode provides valuable insights into Cadent Gas Limited's journey towards gender equity and the proactive measures they have taken to address pay gaps. Sharna's emphasis on transparency, understanding the context, and the importance of inclusive initiatives offers a roadmap for other organizations aiming to tackle similar challenges.

Join me next time where we will Understand Equal Pay Certification with special guest, Orly Anjali. For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here:

Book a call Website: www.equalitypays.co

Sign up to access lots of pay gaps resources: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1071087

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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Exploring Gender Equity in the Energy Sector

Introduction: Welcome to another episode of the Beyond the Pay Gap Figure Podcast. Today, host Michelle Gyimah interviews Sarah Clark, the Decarbonisation Delivery Manager for Europe, Middle East & Africa and co-chair of the AXIS Network, a gender equity group supporting the energy transition in the UK.

Throughout her career, Sarah has held a variety of process engineering and project management positions in the UK and Poland, which includes design, offshore and site-based roles, as well as corporate consulting positions within O&G and military sectors. Sarah is passionate about the promotion of women in business and women in engineering and volunteers her time leading Wood's gender equality group and co-leads AXIS Network promoting gender parity. Sarah completed her Executive MBA in April 2022 and following an 18-month role working directly for the CEO and the executive team of a FTSE 250, Sarah recently joined the Decarbonisation team as the Decarbonisation Delivery Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Sarah lives outside of London with her husband and their two cats.

Key Discussion Points: Sarah discusses the origins and evolution of the AXIS Network, highlighting its efforts to create inclusive networking spaces for women and foster gender equity within the energy sector. Established in 2013, the network offers thought leadership events, mentoring programs, and the AXIS Pledge, which encourages companies to drive systemic change based on their data. The pledge, launched in 2019, faced challenges during the pandemic but has seen renewed efforts to maintain momentum.

The conversation touches on the slow progress in gender pay equity, with recent analyses showing modest gains by operators and service companies. Sarah emphasizes the importance of senior leadership commitment to achieve impactful change, rather than viewing diversity and inclusion as solely an HR responsibility.

Michelle and Sarah explore the challenges in attracting young talent to the energy sector, noting the sector's reputation and competition from other industries. They discuss the potential impact of ethnicity pay gap reporting and the importance of creating an environment where people feel safe to disclose their data.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the immediate challenges for organisations in addressing pay gaps and the need for systemic change. Sarah encourages listeners to join the AXIS Network and participate in its initiatives to drive gender equity in the energy sector.

For more information and to sign up for the AXIS Network, visit their website (https://www.axisnetwork.co.uk/) or email info@axisnetwork.co.uk

Quote Highlight: “Emphasising the importance of senior leadership commitment to achieve impactful change, rather than viewing diversity and inclusion as solely an HR responsibility”

For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Introduction:

Welcome back to this episode of "Beyond The Pay Gap Figure." This week, we discuss the most common mistakes organisations make with their pay gap plans and why they think these plans are not working. I will guide you through these common pitfalls and present a framework that I use with my clients to overcome these challenges effectively.

Key Discussion Points:

Despite their efforts, many organisations find that their actions are not yielding the desired changes, especially when the focus is solely on reducing the pay gap figure. One major reason for this is that the pay gap figure is volatile, influenced by factors both within and beyond an organisation’s control, such as company culture, redundancies, mergers, and personal decisions of employees. This volatility means that focusing solely on the pay gap figure is unhelpful and can be detrimental.

Moving away from strict targets allows for more meaningful work that impacts the organisation positively.

The second common mistake is the lack of good insights. Organisations often focus on the wrong data. It's crucial to understand why the pay gap exists in the first place, requiring deeper, intersectional analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Listen to the episode to find out the other common mistakes.

If you are tired of the hamster wheel of chasing a reducing pay gap figure and want a different approach, I invite you to book a call using the link below.

We can discuss how we can support you in addressing your pay gaps in a way that genuinely benefits your organisation. If you found this episode useful,

please share it with your colleagues and let me know your thoughts. Subscribe to ensure you don't miss future episodes.

In the next episode, I will feature a special guest to share their pay gap journey, including challenges and obstacles faced and how they overcame them. If you're interested in insights that go beyond pay gap reports, tune in to next week's episode.

Thank you for listening. Bye for now!

Quote Highlight: “Ultimately, it's great for you to work on your pay gap plan internally, but you do have to be clear on the effort that is required. And the effort comes in the capacity, skills, and time.”

For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call Website: www.equalitypays.co

Sign up to access lots of pay gaps resources: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1071087

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

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In this episode of "Beyond the Pay Gap Figure," I explore the subject of addressing pay gaps internally i.e. without external consultancy or support. Contrary to expectations, I emphasise the viability and importance of organisations undertaking this task themselves. However, I do explain how to go about this important work competently. If you want to manage your pay gap plan internally, this episode will give you insights into some crucial considerations for your organisation.

Here are just some of the points to consider:

• It’s important to have a good foundation and skill set already within your organisation if you want to take on the management of your pay gaps plan yourself. Individuals who are knowledgeable about legislation requirements, proficient in data collection, and adept at data analysis are indispensable. Mistakes can lead to unwanted outcomes and action plans that miss the mark.
• Having the right technical resources is also vital. Especially when you extend your pay gap reporting beyond gender and want to encompass ethnicity and disability. Organisations must ensure their systems are compatible, robust, and capable of handling diverse data requirements.

Listen in to the episode to hear 5 more crucial insights into handling your pay gaps plan internally; as well as a client story highlighting the importance of consistent communication, internal alignment, and understanding the pay gap plan’s significance.

Tune in next week as I discuss a framework for troubleshooting why your pay gap plan might not be achieving the desired results. If you're interested in optimising your pay gap initiatives, this episode is a must-listen.

If you found this episode valuable, share it with your colleagues, and don't forget to subscribe for future insights. Join me next week for more actionable strategies to enhance your organisation's pay gap initiatives.

Best podcast quote: “Ultimately, it's great for you to work on your pay gap plan internally, but you do have to be clear on the effort that is required. And the effort comes in the capacity, skills and time.”

For support in addressing your pay gap issues book a free call here: Book a call

Website: www.equalitypays.co

Sign up to access lots of pay gaps resources: https://equalitypays.mvsite.app/products/courses/view/1071087

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellegyimah/

Get notified first when new episodes drop: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4vSwbdLk5xiQ29SIkQJvAWTQbhVOA