Pay equity must be managed continuously
Pay equity is often perceived as a project that begins with an audit to measure potential pay gaps between employees. Pay disparities between workers doing the same job must be defensibly tied to compensable factors—experience, skills, location, and responsibilities—not race, gender, or other protected characteristics.
However, it is better to think of pay equity as an ongoing strategic program to attract, retain, and engage talent that ensures fair pay through continuous monitoring. Because organizations are always changing, pay equity needs to be assessed with:
- Every hire
- Every pay raise
- Every promotion
- Every change to the organization