Kelly Metcalf, head of diversity & inclusion and wellbeing at Fujitsu spoke to HRreview and explained why the company has a gender pay gap which is lower compared to the national average.
As of 2019, Fujitsu’s gender pay gap was 15.6 per cent which is lower than the UK’s average of 17.3 per cent according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Fujitsu’s gender pay gap has been decreasing steadily since 2017.
Ms Metcalf explained the five things the company is doing to close the pay gap. They are:
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Recruitment
“All of our hiring managers are enrolled in unconscious bias training. Furthermore, we’re building a mandatory inclusive recruitment section into our manager’s training program which must be completed before they begin hiring.
“And it goes further. Recruitment partners are central to the hiring process, so we for example, set them targets to ensure we get an even spread of CVs. This means our hiring managers are exposed to as wide a mix of backgrounds and experiences as possible. These targets are backed into our partners’ contracts, ensuring they take diversity as seriously as we do.”
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Enablement
“We make opportunities open to everyone – whether that be promotions, taking on wider responsibilities, or even just letting employees get involved in projects they’re interested in.
“We also believe flexible working is hugely empowering – for both men and women.
“We don’t want employees having to choose between a career and a family. That’s why we’re promoting and normalising parental leave for employees at all levels, and reviewing our flexible working practices to be even more inclusive.”
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Development
“We ensure all our female staff has the tools to excel in their roles and flourish throughout the business.
“Part of this comes from company-wide training. But equally as important is our Woman’s Business Network. The network exists to support women throughout the company, giving them a place where they can share advice, opportunities, and collectively raise issues further up the corporate agenda.”
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Retainment
“We ensure all our female staff have the tools to excel in their roles and flourish throughout the business.
“Part of this comes from company-wide training. But equally as important is our Woman’s Business Network. The network exists to support women throughout the company, giving them a place where they can share advice, opportunities, and collectively raise issues further up the corporate agenda.”
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Using Data
“All our initiatives are backed up with robust metrics. Gender equality is a priority right up to the C-suite, and those who don’t hit their numbers are held accountable.
“In fact, all of us accountable. I believe every one of us has a responsibility to ensure our place of work is diverse and inclusive.”
Interested in diversity and inclusion. We recommend the Diversity and Inclusion Conference 2020.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
