During the past year whilst assisting many clients from various industries, geographical areas and entirely different business sizes and structures, to get to grips with the practical implications of the Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value, several commonalities have emerged.
Most businesses are under pressure
The ever-increasing pressure on costs, particularly in light of the near recessive economic situation and yo-yoing currency exchange rates, is creating uncertainty for many businesses. Remaining competitive requires the juggling act of balancing productivity and profitability.
Companies could be forgiven for feeling apprehensive at the thought of escalating costs without any guaranteed corresponding increase in output, especially as employees and their representatives seem, in most instances, to have simply latched onto the notion of equal treatment as a means of “increasing wages and conditions of service to the highest denominator”.
At GBS we’ve had great success in working with our clients and their trade unions, in better understanding the realities of the organisation’s current unique position and requirements before determining their next course of action. By analysing equal pay within this unique context, our clients are better equipped to determine how to build proportionate remuneration structures that not only comply with legislation, but also meet their specific organisational structure and realities.