With the new legislation coming into force from April, the APSCo, which has launched its own initiative ‘Women in Recruitment’ to give all recruitment firms practical support in attracting, developing and retaining their female talent, strongly believes that the recruitment sector will have a vital role to play in boosting gender equality.
Ann Swain, CEO of The Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), commented, “No longer will hiring businesses be able to hide behind ‘smoke and mirrors’. Transparency in gender pay gaps is expected to lead to a paradigm shift in how job opportunities are presented and managed, with professional staffing companies at the forefront of driving change and opportunity for women within their career paths.
“Whilst the last decade has seen significant progress in gender equality, there is still a long way to go. Together we need to work to close the gender pay gaps, as well as ensure equal opportunity, within the wider workforce.”
She added, “The recruitment sector now has real opportunity to be a ‘beacon of excellence’ for gender equality, leading from the front and as a conduit to the talent it places across business and industry. Women are a precious talent, and strategies must be in place to sustain communication and management and flexibility in order to empower women to progress their careers.
“Historically, a woman’s career has been affected by family responsibilities, or a break in career path to take maternity leave with little flexible working opportunity no return, and even unconscious bias in certain professional sectors. With the tightening skills market, working practices are set for change.”
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