GamCare takes steps towards ‘imperative’ equal pay objectives

GamCare is making progress in its employment and HR policies, the charity’s Director of People and Organisational Development, Debby Morrell believes, particularly with regards to closing the pay gap.

The organisation, which provides treatment and support services for problem gambling, has set itself a goal of achieving a zero pay gap across both gender and ethnicity, as well as keeping up momentum with post-COVID working practices.

According to its Ethnicity and Pay Report for 2022, the charity’s mean figure on gender pay remains ‘roughly the same’ as in 2021, having fallen from 13.34% to 11.61%, largely as a result of having a higher number of women working at the group particularly in lower-paid roles.

Meanwhile, GamCare’s mean ethnicity pay gap for 2022 also remains broadly the same as the year prior, with a marginal difference between 2.82% against 2.92% in 2021.

“As we continue to grow, we are working to close the gap and work on next steps to maintain a more inclusive view going forward,” Morrell remarked, whilst also pointing to efforts the group has made from a structural and policy perspective.

Notably, GamCare has adopted a new applicant tracking system which keeps all role applications anonymised until the interview stage ‘to remove any potential unconscious bias’.

In addition to making progress on the pay gap, GamCare also emphasised how it is working to encourage flexible working arrangements as well as promote a healthy work-life balance. 

On the latter objective, the charity has implemented its ‘Culture of Health and Wellbeing Programme’, which focuses on fostering a ‘way of life’ within its organisation covering policies to everyday work activities.

Morrell continued: “The world is rapidly changing, and the Covid-19 pandemic has had lasting effects on the way we operate as an organisation, alongside the impacts it’s had on our personal lives. 

“Sadly, inequalities in society are ever-growing, which is brought into stark focus through issues such as the current cost of living crisis. These issues remind us that inequalities persist in every aspect of society, including workplaces, and it’s imperative that we do what we can to challenge these issues.”

GamCare is one of the most prominent gambling harm treatment organisations in the UK, offering services such as its 24/7 National Gambling Helpline, family counselling and youth programmes.

The publication of its pay gap report closely follows the release of its full year accounts for 2022 which showed continuing engagement with the services listed above, such as a 4.7% increase in calls to the helpline from 42.070 to 44,000.