Modern businesses are constantly challenged to adapt to changes in circumstances, including shifting societal norms and expectations. One such area is pay equity.
Striving for equitable compensation isn’t just the morally right way to conduct your business: It allows you to make your company a thoughtful, progressive workplace. On top of that, potential talent and stakeholders view companies championing pay parity as more attractive.
Conducting a pay equity audit can help businesses address and rectify any gender or diversity gaps in compensation, thereby enhancing their commitment to fairness and pay transparency. In this guide, we’ll provide an easy-to-use, free printable template and outline a step-by-step process for conducting your own comprehensive pay equity audit. With these tools, you can easily navigate the pay equity audit process and ensure your business is fair and transparent for all.
<<Download and print the pay equity template to run a fair and equitable process.>>
What are pay equity audits?
Pay equity audits are systematic examinations that help organizations identify and address discrepancies in their compensation structures. Audits are not merely about flagging discrepancies—although that is important—they’re about putting measures in place to ensure equitable pay is a long-term goal.
Pay equity seeks to ensure that companies pay people who perform similar work equitably, regardless of their gender, race, or identity. Proactively conducting pay equity audits allows companies to avoid potential legal consequences while building a more inclusive and fairer workplace.
The importance of pay equity
The fight for pay equity is part of a larger global struggle for equal rights and social justice. Achieving pay equity means moving beyond simply complying with the law to actively promoting justice and fairness within the organization.
Pay equity has various benefits at both individual and organizational levels. For your team members, it means fair recognition for their work, which can lead to increased motivation, job satisfaction, and productivity. For organizations, it means attracting and retaining top talent, improving their reputation, and building an inclusive workplace culture.
Moreover, the rise of social media and increased transparency means that pay equity issues are now more visible and scrutinized than ever before. Organizations that address any pay equity issues can improve their reputation and gain trust among team members and the public.
Laws related to pay equity audits
Pay equity audits are tied to legal compliance in many jurisdictions. In the United States, laws like the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibit pay discrimination based on gender, race, or other protected characteristics. State-level laws, including California’s Equal Pay Act and New York’s law on pay equity, have introduced stricter requirements around pay transparency and equity.
In the United Kingdom, the Equality Act of 2010 consolidated previous discrimination laws. It protects against discrimination based on protected characteristics, including age, gender, disability, race, and others.
Aligning pay equity audits with these legal frameworks helps organizations avoid compliance risks. Beyond that, audits demonstrate a commitment to fairness and inclusivity—values that resonate with professionals and the broader community.
Why use a pay equity audit template?
In the pursuit of pay equity, having a standardized process can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your efforts. A pay equity audit template provides a structured approach to data collection, analysis, and the development of remedial strategies.
It’s a tool that can help you methodically address complex issues surrounding pay disparities, enabling your organization to make informed decisions based on factual data rather than assumptions or perceptions.
How to conduct a pay equity audit
When carrying out your pay equity audit, there are several steps you need to take to make sure it’s as thorough and detailed as possible.
1. Define the goals and scope of the audit
Start by deciding exactly what you want your pay equity audit to achieve. Are you focusing on gender pay gaps, racial pay disparities, or inequities across other demographics? Determine which groups, roles, or locations you’ll analyze in each audit. You can examine multiple types of disparities during your audit, but it’s important to assess each one separately since gender, race, age, and other variables are distinct and influenced by different factors. Treating them individually helps you pinpoint specific causes and avoid conflating different equity issues.
2. Prepare your audit team
A pay equity audit isn’t just an HR task—it’s a company-wide effort. Bring together a team of experts who can guide the audit from start to finish. This team should include:
- HR professionals to provide insights into compensation structures and job classifications
- Legal advisors to ensure compliance with regional pay equity laws and protect your people’s privacy
- Data analysts to perform statistical evaluations and identify discrepancies
- Senior leaders to support changes and integrate pay equity into company strategy
Having the right team in place ensures your audit is both thorough and impactful.
3. Collect and validate your data
You’ll need accurate and detailed information to uncover pay disparities. Start by gathering data on job titles, pay rates, bonuses, education, experience, performance, and work locations.
Once you collect the data you need, take the time to validate it carefully. Look for inconsistencies or missing information and flag anything that seems off. Validation ensures you’re working with reliable data, which improves the accuracy of your analysis and prevents misleading conclusions.
4. Analyze your data and interpret the results
Using the data collected, identify any disparities or discrepancies in pay among your team members who are performing similar work. Pay attention to patterns in base pay, bonuses, and other forms of compensation. Teams can use statistical techniques such as:
- Comparative analysis: Examining pay differences within similar roles and levels
- Regression analysis: Controlling for legitimate factors (e.g., experience, education) to isolate unjustified pay gaps
- Pay distribution visualization: Graphs or charts to highlight trends across gender, race, or other demographics
Once you’ve identified gaps, take the next step to understand why they exist. Are they the result of outdated policies, inconsistencies in hiring practices, or unconscious bias? This stage is about uncovering the reasons behind the numbers so you can address them.
5. Develop remedial strategies to address pay disparities
Now that you’ve spotted pay disparities, focus on developing practical ways to correct them. You might adjust salaries for specific roles, update your bonus structures, or introduce clearer performance benchmarks. The key is to create strategies that are fair, sustainable, and aligned with your organization’s goals.
For example, if women in senior roles are consistently earning less than their male counterparts despite similar experience and performance, salary adjustments may be necessary.
Then, to prevent future disparities, consider implementing:
- Transparent pay policies: Establish clear salary expectations for new hires and promotions
- Routine compensation reviews: Conduct annual or biannual pay audits
- Bias-free hiring and promotion practices: Use structured salary negotiations and performance evaluations to reduce bias
6. Offer pay equity education and training
Pay equity isn’t just about adjusting salaries—it’s about creating a culture where fair pay is the norm. To make lasting change, educate managers, HR teams, and decision-makers on how their choices impact compensation fairness. Offer workshops on bias-free performance reviews, provide training on equitable salary negotiations, and establish clear guidelines for raises and promotions.
When leaders understand the role they play in pay equity, they’re better equipped to prevent disparities from happening in the first place. Small but consistent efforts like these help embed fairness into your company, ensuring every team member feels valued and equitably compensated.
7. Implement changes and monitor progress
The last step is putting your strategies into action and keeping an eye on how they’re working. Adjust salaries, update policies, or refine processes to fix gender pay gaps or other inequities. Once the changes are in place, set a timeline for reviewing progress.
Regularly check your data to ensure disparities aren’t returning. If gaps persist, don’t hesitate to tweak your approach. Pay equity audits are an ongoing process, and consistent monitoring helps you stay on track.
Free pay equity audit template
Remember: This is just a template and will need to be adapted to fit the needs of your organization. It’s also important to account for any legal and ethical considerations when carrying out these types of audits, especially when handling sensitive personal data.
<<Download and print the pay equity template to run a fair and equitable process.>>
Best practices and considerations for a pay equity audit and analysis
A pay equity audit, though incredibly beneficial, can be a delicate process and, therefore, requires careful handling and tactful communication. Here are some best practices and considerations to keep in mind while conducting your pay equity audit:
- Confidentiality. Confidentiality is paramount during an audit. This process requires collecting sensitive data, including personal information and compensation details. Ensure that only the dedicated audit team has access to this data and that it is stored securely to maintain complete privacy and trust. In addition, when presenting the results, it is crucial to use aggregated data that does not reveal the specific information of individual team members.
- Continual audits. Achieving pay equity isn’t a one-time activity but an ongoing commitment. With changes in personnel, company structure, and market forces, pay disparities may end up creeping back into your organization over time. Regular audits, at least annually, are essential to maintain fair and equitable pay. They enable your company to catch and address any disparities as quickly as possible while also demonstrating your unwavering dedication to pay equity.
- Transparent communication. Transparency is a cornerstone of trust. However, it doesn’t mean revealing individual compensation details to everyone. Rather, it’s about maintaining open communication about the processes and policies that determine pay and sharing the reasons and objectives behind the pay equity audit. Once you complete the audit, it’s important to communicate its outcomes and any actions the company plans to take in response to the findings. This demonstrates that your organization is serious about pay equity and encourages a culture of trust and inclusivity.
- Inclusive analysis. Ensure your audit considers all the factors contributing to pay decisions. This should include the role or job title and factors such as tenure, performance, education, and location. An inclusive analysis helps ensure that your audit captures the complete picture and that its findings are as accurate as possible.
- Action plan. Once the audit is complete and you’ve identified disparities, developing a strategic action plan to rectify these is crucial. This may involve adjusting the salaries of certain team members, revising the compensation management policies, or offering training and development opportunities to underpaid team members. The goal is to identify the problem and actively work towards a solution.
- Consulting experts. Pay equity audits can be complex and require a nuanced understanding of compensation data and legal guidelines. Depending on your organization’s size and resources, engaging with external consultants or legal advisors specializing in compensation and pay equity might be a good idea.
You can show your dedication to fair pay practices by conducting thorough and thoughtful pay equity audits. It’s a meaningful step toward building trust and strengthening your organization’s reputation as a fair employer.
Implementing pay audits to make a fair and equal workplace
Pay equity audits, while complicated, are essential for promoting fairness and equality within your workplace. They require meticulous data collection, careful analysis, and dedicated action to address any disparities you discover. However, with the right pay equity audit tools, such as our template, and commitment from all levels of your organization, conducting a pay equity audit can be rewarding and transformative.
Pay equity audit FAQs
What is a pay equity assessment?
A pay equity assessment is a process used to evaluate and ensure that your people are compensated fairly, regardless of factors such as gender, race, or other characteristics unrelated to their job performance or qualifications. It involves analyzing pay structures, identifying disparities, and implementing strategies to address inequities.
What is a pay audit?
A pay audit is a process used to review and analyze an organization’s compensation practices to ensure fairness, equity, and compliance with legal standards.
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What is pay disparity?
Pay disparity refers to the unequal compensation received by individuals or groups for performing similar work. These pay disparities are often influenced by factors such as gender, race, or other discriminatory practices.
What are the benefits of conducting a pay equity audit?
There are many advantages of conducting a pay equity audit. The benefits include creating a fair and transparent workplace, identifying and addressing potential pay disparities, promoting team member trust and satisfaction, and ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
Pay equity audits demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility and can enhance an organization’s reputation as an ethical and equitable employer. Pay equity audits contribute to long-term organizational sustainability by mitigating the risk of legal disputes and their associated costs.