Gender Pay Gap Report

The fifth edition of our published report covers a period where the Council’s workforce has been dealing with the challenges of delivering vital services throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

This has involved the introduction of new ways of working, that have built on our previous flexible working policies, and support a culture of working wherever, whenever, and however is most appropriate to ensure the best possible outcomes for residents and service users, both now and in the future.  These new ways of working provide greater flexibility to employees to achieve an improved work life balance.

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has seen new recruitment and retention challenges emerge, making our work with the wider Rotherham Together Partnership to raise skills levels, increase employment opportunities and remove barriers to good quality sustainable employment for local people ever more important.

As previously reported, three quarters of the Council’s workforce continue to live in the borough and ensuring equality of opportunity for our workforce and tackling workplace exclusion remain critical for the continued success of the Council and set an example for all other employers within the borough.

Fair pay is important for everyone, but it is worth pointing out that the ‘Gender Pay Gap’ is not the same issue as ‘Equal Pay’. The Council has a longstanding commitment to a transparent approach to pay and grading and is confident employees receive remuneration within the same grade when carrying out the same or equivalent value work.

It is important to stress that the gender pay gap does not stem from paying men and women differently for the same roles across the Council; it is the result of the roles in which men and women work within the organisation and the salaries that these roles attract.   The Council is committed to undertaking action which will support a positive reduction in the gender pay gap through development, career progression and not removing lower paid roles from the organisational structure.

Our commitment to developing our workforce continues, including opportunities for apprenticeships for new and existing staff, and the Rotherham Leader development programme to grow skills and further career development.  During 2020/21, 79% (228) of promotions were women, 5% higher than the workforce representation.  The number of women in senior positions (top 5% of earners) also increased to 65.8% with over two thirds (five of the seven) of the Council’s Strategic Leadership Team women.

In 2021 our gender pay gap remained almost the same as the previous year, however over the last eight years the Council has seen significant reductions in its gender pay gap with the mean gap reducing from 18.2% to 11.2% and median from 21.8% to 9.2%.

Although there is no requirement to do so the Council also monitors the pay gap of BAME and disabled employees.  I am pleased to report that BAME and disabled colleagues continue, on average, to be paid more than their non BAME and non-disabled colleagues.

The insights in this report help to inform our future approach and shape our Workforce Plan.