| The tendency of men and women to work in different occupations, and the associated tendency of predominantly female occupations to be lower paid and lower valued than men's, have a major effect on the gender pay gap in the UK; but such occupational segregation also deprives employers of potential recruits—a factor of particular importance in areas of skills shortages.
We have focussed on four elements that contribute to occupational segregation: the lack of knowledge about career options that prevents young people from choosing non-traditional occupations; difficulties in accessing training in atypical areas; difficulties with alien or sometimes even hostile business cultures; and the unavailability of part-time or flexible working in the higher-paid occupations and at senior levels in all occupations.
Although some employers have adopted imaginative and innovative policies to break down occupational segregation, we were surprised that employers in general seem unaware of the desirability of, or at least are slow to take action on, attracting non-traditional recruits and retaining experienced staff. We commend the work of the Sector Skills Councils in spreading awareness of the potential benefits to employers of tackling occupational segregation, and in disseminating good practice. We believe that other organisations, such as trade associations and Regional Development Agencies, should be more active in this area.
We also call for a greater amount of co-ordination among public bodies, with a particular effort needed to ensure that those providing education and training and those charged with the task of getting people back into work take the issue of occupational segregation fully into account in the advice and support they provide to the public. We support the use of procurement policy to encourage the breakdown of occupational segregation, and we encourage the Government to consider a review of equal pay legislation to try to make the principle of "equal pay for work of equal value" more effective.
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