ECFRS significantly reduces gender pay gap
A newly published report has shown that Essex County Fire and Rescue’s gender pay gap has continued to decrease since publishing was made mandatory in 2018.
The report shows that in 2020 there was an average pay gap of 2.4%, down from 15.6% in 2018.
Gender pay gap measures the difference in average earnings across all employees across the organisation. This means that every employee at every level is grouped together and an average is worked out for both men and women. The difference at ECFRS is that men earn 2.4% more than women.
This is different to equal pay, which is where men and women are paid equally for an equal role. ECFRS uses a clear pay scale to identify salary, and there is equal pay for equal roles across the organisation.
Chief Fire Officer / Chief Executive Jo Turton said:
“At Essex County Fire and Rescue Service we are confident that equal roles are equally paid. However, we do have an average gender pay gap of 2.4%.
“The fire and rescue service as an industry is still a male-dominated organisation across the UK. In fact, at our Service, 83.5% of the overall workforce is male. So, although we can confidently ensure that our non-discriminatory pay process results in equal pay, it is more challenging to reduce the gender pay gap when there is a disproportionate number of men at an organisation.
“Of course, we would never shy away from this challenge, and the fact that we have reduced this gender pay gap significantly since reporting began is testament to the work we’ve done in creating a more diverse workforce. We believe this is a key factor in reducing the gender pay gap.
“We will not stop now, and will continue with a programme of positive action work that showcases ECFRS’s commitment to achieving a workforce that is more reflective of our communities.
“We will continue to work with our employee networks, partners and stakeholders to gain feedback and understand how we can bring about positive change based on feedback from colleagues.”
Last year, Essex County Fire and Rescue Service launched a refreshed version of its wholetime firefighter recruitment campaign, with its own firefighters actively challenging outdated myths and stereotypes. This was an opportunity to increase diversity, celebrate the varied and rewarding role of a modern day firefighter, and recognise the value that diversity brings.
Internally ECFRS has focused on leadership and management development; encouraging and supporting high-performing employees to realise their potential and take on senior roles across the organisation.
You can read the full report online.
Page last updated 17 March, 2021