Kate Hawkesby: The gender pay gap - I may as well be working for free

Why is the gender pay gap still so wide despite years of banging on about it. Image / 123RF

COMMENT: As of today, I'm effectively turning up here at work for free.

Not just me. All women.

Women work from now until the end of the year for free. That's pay equity for you.

The gap is so wide that about two months of the year is on us. I hope you appreciate our donation. It's not an intentional one though, and it's not one we're all that happy to make. Because let's face it, why should we?

So what can we do about it?

Well it's not like women aren't putting it out there, making their voices heard, highlighting the issue like never before.

There are some companies making cut-through and progress on this, and that's laudable, they're progressive companies - but they're also in the minority.

Many other companies lag woefully behind.

It's also an attitude thing. Does everyone believe it?
Does everyone want to believe it? Does everyone want to do something about it?

And is all the noise made so far actually making an impact? Is it even making a dent?
And where are the men's voices on this?

Where are the men standing up and fighting to close the pay gap? We almost expect to hear women championing pay equity - but why not the men?

What we often hear is the argument that some women maybe don't want to work as many hours as some men. Or maybe women want different types of pay deals, but that's not the case for all women.

Shouldn't the option be available to those who do want to compete on a level playing field?

Personally at my current time of life, I'd rather have more time with my family, work shorter hours and be part of a socially conscious workplace than go hammer and tong, dollar for dollar, hour by hour against anyone else - be it a man or a woman.

But I appreciate that's not all women. I appreciate that's not all workplaces. I also appreciate that it's time and place. I may not always feel that way.

Many women do want to be on boards, be CEOs, work the hours - and, crucially, get the same money as a male counterpart.

So why is the gap still so wide? Why are we still, despite years of banging on about the same issue, still in the same spot? Albeit with small amounts of slow progress.

Will we still be sitting here a year from now saying again how we're working for free from now until Christmas?

Let's hope not.