SRA racial and gender pay gap studies show wage discrepancies persist
THE SOLICITORS Regulation Authority (SRA) has released the gender pay gap report [1] and the ethnicity pay gap report [2] for 2022. The findings showed that there are still salary inequalities according to race and gender.
The median wage difference between White Staff and Black, Asian, and Ethnic Minority Staff in the SRA decreased from 15 per cent in 2021 to 12.7 per cent in 2022.
While “heading in the right direction,” the SRA observed that this is still higher than the ONS (Office for National Statistics) UK average of 2.3 per cent.
The most recent gender pay gap report, which covers the reporting year up to April 2022, reveals that the median pay disparity between male and female personnel at the SRA was 11.2 per cent, up 1.9 per cent from 2021, while the median bonus gap climbed by 26.8 per cent.
According to the SRA, changes in the ratio of males to females at the more senior levels are a major factor in the rise.
Paul Philip, SRA chief executive, said: “We believe that is it important that we, and others in the legal sector, publish our ethnicity pay gap in order to support and drive ongoing change and progress in this area.
He added: “In terms of both gender and ethnicity, we continue to have good diversity in our overall workforce, but these latest figures confirm that we need to do more to reflect that diversity in more senior positions.”
There is still work to be done, according to the SRA, but the pay disparity is still smaller than the Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimate of a 15.4 per cent average deficit throughout the UK.
In the report, proposed measures are outlined, including a review of the SRA’s rules, procedures, practises, incentive system, and method of employee recognition. The ethnicity inclusion strategy includes several strategies that will aid in closing the gender pay gap.
Cultural pressure felt by ethnic minorities is twice as much as by their White counterparts
ETHNIC minority groups experience twice as much pressure while choosing a career, as their white colleagues (38 per cent vs 14 per cent), revealed by new research commissioned by Samsung UK & Ireland.
Approximately 1,568 employees (1,000 White, 568 from ethnic minority groups) participated in the survey. It revealed that more than a third of workers from ethnic minorities have concealed their career choice owing to cultural expectations.
Black or Arab workers were most likely to conceal their profession choice, with Arab workers having a 61 per cent likelihood of lying.
The poll looked at cultural barriers and concerns that are present while making early career decisions in addition to how racial bias is manifesting itself in the workplace.
The most “accepted” careers, according to the survey, were becoming a doctor, lawyer, or accountant, while being a fitness trainer was the least. When family pressure was removed, the top two professions were in the service sector (17 per cent) or the creative sector (13 per cent).
Workers in general agree that close family members like their mother (50 per cent) and father (51 per cent) place the greatest pressure on them to make specific decisions regarding their work path.
They are also altering how they arrive at work, with 28 per cent changing what they eat and 32 per cent of ethnic minorities changing their accent to blend in, which is worsened by broader societal influences.
Also, a startlingly high percentage of workers—82 per cent of Arab workers, 80 per cent of Black workers, and 66 per cent of Asian workers—feel that they must “work more” than their White British counterparts in the same profession.
Scottish Government plan to address racial inequality in the workplace
UNDER a new plan [3], employers in Scotland are being urged to reduce employment and pay inequalities for all racial and ethnic groups.
The new strategy will support employers to:
* improve their collection of workforce data, including reporting their pay gap, and take action on the findings.
* take an anti-racist approach to remove barriers in their recruitment, retention, and progression practices to improve the representation of workers.
* drive cultural, attitudinal, and organisational change through building an understanding of the impact of institutional racism and the processes and practices in an organisation that lead to the unfair treatment of people on the basis of race.
The updated Fair Work Action Plan [4] was released a day after the findings and combines the Scottish Government’s current Fair Work, Gender Pay Gap, and Disabled People’s Employment action plans which will sit alongside the new approach.
Employment and fair work minister Richard Lochhead said: “Our ambitious plans for Scotland’s economy are built on ensuring that everyone can thrive in a diverse, safe, and inclusive workplace. The refreshed Fair Work Action Plan and anti-racist employment strategy will further drive these ambitions.
“All employees should have the opportunity to succeed and, in cooperation with businesses, we are making great progress in spreading fair work principles across the workplace.”
Research and data on the labour market indicate that ethnic minorities are more likely than whites to be paid less, underemployed, or underrepresented in senior-level positions, as well as to encounter workplace discrimination.
[1] https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/gender-pay-gap-report-2022/
[2] https://www.sra.org.uk/sra/research-publications/ethnicity-pay-gap-report-2022/
[3] https://www.gov.scot/publications/fairer-scotland-anti-racist-employment-strategy/
[4] https://www.gov.scot/publications/fair-work-action-plan-becoming-leading-fair-work-nation-2025/
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