“It’s hard to accept that in 2022, the gender pay gap still exists,” comments Amanda Hahn, Chief Marketing Officer at HireVue – global recruitment specialists.

“The gap is even greater for LGBTQ+ workers and women of colour. Business leaders can no longer sit on the side-lines and watch the crisis unfold.

“Businesses should examine their salary structures, paying particular attention to any wage discrepancy experienced by female employees or workers from minority demographics. Action can then be taken to redress hiring strategies and ensure all candidates going for similar roles are offered equal salaries.

“Equity and inclusion are also important. Businesses need to make sure that women feel welcome and valued within the workplace to reduce attrition. Evaluating candidates based on their skills and capabilities, rather than on previous employers or schools – and of course gender – is a simple first step in eliminating bias from hiring altogether.

“Hopefully, the recent ONS data pressures business leaders to act now. If they don’t, not only are they promoting workplace discrimination, they’re impacting our future workforce. What we absolutely don’t want, is to dissuade young women and graduates from entering certain careers due to unfair pay practices.”