Equal Pay For Equal Work why is it Important

Nischal Man Pradhan Founder and CEO, Braindigit IT Solution

Normally we determine the pay for any employee depending on their experience, position, education, knowledge and skills they possess to solve any problem. So, I think a company must pay equal to any employees having similar qualities and performance. Otherwise the company will soon lose that employee or the performance will start to decrease. The IT sector is very volatile and changing very fast. The work and skill set requirements of any technical employee changes every time so we look more towards experience and skills rather than other factors to determine pay scale. But in higher positions like management, HR and marketing, there might be discrepancies as the results cannot be measured properly. So, it really depends on the company culture and policies.

Sadiksha Thapa HR Professional, Consultant & Trainer, Curator at Talent Curators

I believe equal pay for equal work should not be a novel concept but a sound judgement. Doing the same work should deserve the same pay regardless of gender, caste, age or any other factors. If two people have the same experience, qualifications, capacity and are given the same task, they should get equal benefits in terms of salary, bonuses and allowances. Disparity in pay not only decreases the motivation of employees but also leads to inefficiency, absenteeism, lack of interest and job dissatisfaction, ultimately leading to the productivity issues. Also, having unequal pay may lead to high turnover rate of employees. If we want to achieve profitability and fast growth of the company, companies should know how to take care of their employees. Moreover, gender pay gap does ultimately lead to slow economic growth of the country itself. Women comparatively spend more on consumer goods and if they are earning less, they are spending less. In the context of Nepal and in my personal experience, although research says otherwise, I have not faced or heard of any companies who have discriminated employees based on gender or caste. I would say I’ve been fortunate enough to be around reputed companies who treat their employees fair and good. Having said this, I cannot vouch that it doesn’t exist. On the other hand, we have a small market and a small job industry; hence it might not be enough to compare the benefits of the companies with one another. After all, compensation and benefits also depend on the size and the financial capability of the company. Comparing the salary package of an early startup and an established corporate might not make sense.

Sewa Pathak Executive Director, Vianet Communications

It is very important to have equal pay at work because the pay has to be based on the nature of work performed rather than the gender performing it. Equal work denotes that the same nature of work is given to both the genders under equal circumstances with the same amount of responsibility and with equal level of outcome expected. If all the parameters of equal work are expected for both the genders, it is but imperative that both are paid equally. The pay should be based on role rather than gender. Equal pay means that all workers have the right to receive equal remuneration for work of equal value. While the concept is straightforward, what equal pay actually entails and how it’s applied in practice is difficult to measure. As per the report by UN Women, globally, the gender pay gap stands at 16% meaning women workers earn an average of 84% of what men earn.  I would assume the gap to be much more in Nepal. As the rate of women in labour market is less in Nepal, there is a male domination and pay discrimination. In patriarchal societies like Nepal, it is taken for granted that women should be paid less than men. Organisations need to make a conscious effort to segregate the gender from the role and ensure that employees are paid based on their merits and qualifications rather than their gender. However, having said that, as more women are aware and can voice their concerns, we see lot of Nepali organisations following an “Equal Work, Equal Pay” concept. Especially in fields of Information and Technology, where creativity and intellectual capability is rewarded rather than physical strength, we see companies providing equal pay and equal opportunities to women. In ISP sector, companies like Vianet are ensuring that roles in which both women and male are employed, equal opportunities and pay are assured.

Sabitra Bhandari Footballer

Equal pay for equal work is important in every sector. If there is discrimination in pay due to gender, caste, age or any other factors, people get demoralised in their job. If there is no such discrimination, it sends a positive message about the organisation and people will stay devoted to the organisation. I haven’t seen the possibility of equal pay coming into practice in the police force as well as the football field. The government needs to consider this matter seriously. I am however glad that women are beginning to voice out their opinion on this topic.