It’s Time to Bridge SA’s Lingering Pay Gap

By Ndivhu Nepfumbada, Chief Human Resources Officer at TransUnion Africa

As you read this, men and women are working side by side in practically every industry in South Africa. We’re seeing growing numbers of women entering the workplace in sectors like mining, financial services, factories, restaurants and transport and logistics. They do the same jobs. They work the same hours. They deliver the same, if not better, outcomes and outputs. But get this: they’re being paid an average of 30% less than their male counterparts.

The gender pay gap is not supposed to be there. Most governments, including South Africa, have clear legislation in place to ensure men and women are treated equally in the workplace, and that there is no discrimination. The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 is one of the most highly ratified conventions in the world.

And yet, here we are. At the current rates of change, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take 202 years to close the global gender pay gap, based on the trend observed over the past 12 years. You want to know how long women are going to keep talking about equality and fair pay? There’s your answer.

There are many reasons why the gender pay gap still exists in 2022 (and will still exist in 2222, if the WEF’s estimates are accurate). But through a strong diversity and inclusion policy, that’s driven from the top of an organisation, they are all addressable.

Perhaps the biggest reason for the pay gap is under-representation in leadership. There just aren’t enough women in management and leadership positions. And at managerial level, they’re often given admin and support functions rather than strategic roles, which means they’re paid less.

At TransUnion, we’re actively working to reduce this gap, and achieve global gender parity by 2030. Companies can also do more to upskill women and give them clear pathways and opportunities to climb the ladder. We’re making strong progress – but the point is that it’s not enough to just write a policy and not do something about it. You have to drive it, or it won’t happen.

Working hours is another thorny issue. In its Global wage report 2018/19, the ILO highlights the fact that women work more on a part-time basis than men in all but five of the 73 countries where data is available. That’s because they’re doing ‘typical women things’ like looking after the kids and taking care of family responsibilities. They’re also more likely to take time out of the workforce to raise children, or care for family members. As a result, when they return to work, they’ve fallen behind in advancement and in remuneration.

These are societal expectations and roles that will take years, if not generations, to change. But that doesn’t mean employers can’t do anything about it. They can allow women greater flexibility in their work hours, and allow them to step away from the workplace when they need to without threatening their career or their advancement.

At TransUnion, flexible working is something that’s become part of our DNA, and our women find themselves in an environment that recognises their skills and ability to deliver outcomes to our clients. But we’re largely still the exception – and that needs to change.

There are many things that enterprises can do to close the pay gap. It starts with promoting a gender-inclusive business culture, and applying equal remuneration for women and men for work of equal value. It means making equitable salary offers to men and women alike, and providing opportunities to grow.

Make no mistake, we’ve come a long way. But we are not yet done. We have some work to do to reach our global gender parity and representation, and to fully imbed equity and inclusion in the workplace. As employers, we don’t just have an active role to play here – we have a clear and pressing responsibility. Our women deserve no less.

 For more information visit: www.transunion.co.za.