Making fairness, decency and equality your leadership legacy

The exercise of free speech is something that many take for granted, like exercising the right to breathe.

We exercise that freedom with care and responsibility because our words and actions reflect our integrity. A Samoa proverb says, “e pala ma’a ae le pala upu” – rocks degrade but words endure.

Some workplaces do not like to talk too much about pay gaps, perhaps because we don’t like feeling as if we’ve somehow failed, or not doing right by others, or that equality has already been achieved, or even that equality is just an inevitable reality that cannot be avoided and therefore tolerable. Meanwhile, those of us living with the consequences of unjust pay gaps, along with our children and communities, know that just pay is absolutely possible and a fundamental right. 

Today, we are calling for your attention, influence, power, just investment, and integrity.

Inequality is on the rise

As a relatively young developed nation, not many Kiwis are born into generations of material privilege, and this keeps us modest and humble in the most positive way. I like the fact that Kiwis across religious, cultural, political, socio-economic spectrums, can stand next to each other enjoying scenery, sit next to each other on a bus, or use a playground and watch each other’s kids playing, and do so without a care about each other’s postcodes or needing to make a statement about one’s state of wealth or privilege. 

But inequality has escalated and is in danger of becoming ingrained. We also know that we have an aging population and are losing talent overseas, so we need to grow, attract and keep talent in our businesses and economy so we all prospers. We urgently need to talk about closing unjust pay gaps.

If you own or manage a business, you can start closing gaps today 

Here are some practical things you can do to start closing your gaps today:

• Ensure your job adverts include the hourly wage, salary scale, and any non-monetary benefits that come with the role. Be transparent about your offer.

• Ensure your job application screening tools do not unintentionally disadvantage some applicants, e.g. Do you really need psychometric testing?

• If your job advert specifies wanting ‘NZ experience’, know that you will exclude amazing migrant talent.    

• Ensure the tone of your job advert is welcoming and indicates opportunities for development, otherwise a woman applicant especially the young, new migrants, someone re-entering the workforce, a woman with a disability, may feel too intimidated to apply.  

• If you notice your  keep selecting the same type of employee, or you are wanting to broaden your consumer market and want to attract talent with relevant cultural, gender, economic, community insights: ensure your interview panel is diverse. A potentially tricky question may be less awkward when asked from a lived-experience voice.  

• Do not ask the Pacific interviewee in front of you what her last wage was, then lower your offer; or pay basic rates to a wahine Māori staff member you’ve called on for te reo and tikanga expertise without paying for it; or expect the sister from the Middle East with global experience and qualifications to start at the starting rate when you know she is worth more.

• Communicate regularly with staff about your mission as a company to ensure everyone is paid fairly and build trust that you mean it (your vibe will be respected!). 

• Find ways to start gathering data from staff on characteristics of sex, ethnicity, gender, and disability. Talk with other businesses on the same journey. Addressing pay gaps ultimately benefits everyone, not only women.  

• Commit budget as a board/executive team towards ensuring fair pay through regular monitoring, and review pay gaps regularly over the year.   

• Join the network of businesses on this journey, share tips and lessons, and consider publishing your data and stories so others in your industry or businesses of similar sizes can feel encouraged to start or do better. Influence through action, not mission and vision statements.  

How do I know if I’m succeeding as a business owner?

Success is when you as a board/an executive team/a business owner, through regular monitoring, see data and commentary that show progress, and of unjust pay gaps decreasing (if not closed) at all levels of the business. 

To monitor this you could include confidential staff surveys (whatever suits your people and business) to get an un-screened version of impact from those you intend to benefit from ending unjust pay gaps.

Income inequality and social injustice are influenced by business decisions and leadership. They can be undone. 

Let fairness, equality, and decency be part of your legacy.

Ia manuia, blessings upon you.

Saunoamaalii Karanina Sumeo is a human rights and Pacific advocate. She is the former New Zealand Equal Opportunities Commissioner and her professional and academic background has involved advocating for the promotion of economic development, social, and employment interests of marginalised groups particularly women, Pacific people, learners, and young people.