Equal Pay
At Orkney Islands Council, we’re committed to fairness and transparency in how we pay our people. We publish our gender pay gap data showing the difference between the average hourly pay of men and women (excluding overtime).
Gender Pay Gap
What Is the Gender Pay Gap?
The gender pay gap helps highlight any differences in pay between men and women across the organisation. We use two measures:
• Mean (average): The total of all hourly rates divided by the number of employees.
• Median: The middle value when all hourly rates are listed from lowest to highest.
These figures give us a clearer picture of pay patterns and help identify areas for improvement.
How we measure
Our data is based on permanent employees and uses payroll records to determine sex. This is separate from our general diversity data, which relies on self-declaration.
Some of our services such as Marine Services are traditionally male dominated and compete with private sector industries such as oil and renewable energy. Pay levels in these areas reflect market demand, which can influence our overall figures.
Our commitment to Equal Pay
We believe everyone should be paid fairly, regardless of gender. While we recognise that social and educational factors play a role in shaping the gender pay gap, we’re focused on long-term progress. Our diverse workforce spans a wide range of roles and professions, and we’re working to ensure our pay practices are free from bias and discrimination.
The data below reflects our most recent snapshot as at 31 March 2025 and helps guide our ongoing efforts to close the pay gap.
Closing the gap: Progress on Gender Pay Equity
We're proud to share that the Council’s gender pay gap has narrowed to 3.05% in 2024/25, down from 4.45% in the previous year’s reporting period. This positive shift reflects meaningful changes, including:
• An increase in the minimum hourly rate
• Higher pay awards for lower graded roles (Grades A and B) compared to those in Grades C to N
These adjustments have helped create a more balanced and equitable pay distribution across our organisation and work continues through our Equally Safe at Work action plan.
Understanding the numbers
The gender pay gap is calculated using the median hourly rate, which represents the middle value in a list of earnings. Because we have more women in mid-level roles and more men in higher-paid roles, the median hourly rate for women can sometimes appear higher, which you can see from the table below. It's also worth noting that smaller sample sizes and fewer women in top-tier roles can influence the overall figure.
We remain committed to fair pay and will continue working toward a more inclusive and representative workforce.
|
Sex |
Post type |
Total % |
Average (Mean) Hourly Rate |
Median Hourly Rate |
|
Female |
All |
68.6% |
£18.45 |
£15.18 |
|
Full-time |
30.6% |
£22.07 |
£15.18 |
|
|
Part-time |
69.4% |
£16.85 |
£15.18 |
|
|
Male |
All |
31.4% |
£19.03 |
£14.80 |
|
Full-time |
63.1% |
£21.25 |
£14.80 |
|
|
Part-time |
36.6% |
£15.24 |
£14.80 |
|
|
Gender Pay Gap % |
3.05% |
|||
Management structure review
As part of 2023/2024 reporting period, we carried out a review of the management structure which was introduced in 2022. One of the key outcomes from this review was a shift from five Director roles to four.
This change has influenced the composition of our top 5% earners, as reflected in the figures below.
|
Category |
2024/2025 |
|
Total number of employees in top 5% of earners |
96 |
|
Total number of women employees in top 5% |
32 |
|
Percentage of women employees in top 5% |
33.3% |
Ethnicity Pay Gap
Our pay gap information for black and minority ethnic employee groups is based on a calculation for minority ethnic combined employees in comparison to white combined employees and does not include data for employees not stating their ethnicity.
No pay gap has been identified based on ethnicity however we acknowledge that we report low figures for ethnic diversity within our workforce. Work continues to address the gaps in employee diversity data.
Disability Pay Gap
We regularly analyse the difference in average hourly pay between employees who have disclosed a disability and those who have not.
What the data shows
Please note the figures below should be interpreted with caution due to low declaration rates and the relatively small number of disabled employees in higher-paid, full-time roles.
As of 31 March 2025:
- 64.9% of disabled employees work part-time, compared to 59.3% of non-disabled employees.
- Part-time roles typically offer lower pay and fewer progression opportunities, which may contribute to disparities.
- The average hourly rate for disabled employees in part-time roles is £16.38, while those in full-time roles earn £24.00 on average.
Despite these differences, the overall disability pay gap is -1.79%, meaning that, on average, disabled employees earn slightly more than non-disabled employees.
We continue to explore potential barriers to full-time employment and career progression for disabled colleagues. By improving support, accessibility, and awareness, we aim to ensure that everyone has equitable access to opportunities regardless of disability status. We have an action plan to address these challenges as part of our commitment to the Disability Confident scheme.
|
Disability |
Post Type |
Total % |
Average (Mean) Hourly Rate |
Median Hourly Rate |
|
Yes Disability |
All |
4.6% |
£19.06 |
£15.76 |
|
Full-time |
35.1% |
£24.00 |
£24.31 |
|
|
Part-time |
64.9% |
£16.38 |
£14.53 |
|
|
No Disability |
All |
61.8% |
£18.72 |
£15.18 |
|
Full-time |
40.6% |
£21.67 |
£18.76 |
|
|
Part-time |
59.3% |
£16.70 |
£14.47 |
|
|
Prefer not to say |
All |
2.3% |
£17.90 |
£15.08 |
|
Full-time |
42.9% |
£18.92 |
£18.26 |
|
|
Part-time |
57.1% |
£17.13 |
£14.13 |
|
|
No data |
All |
31.3% |
£18.42 |
£14.80 |
|
Full-time |
41.4% |
£21.57 |
£18.25 |
|
|
Part-time |
58.5% |
£16.19 |
£14.13 |
|
|
Disability Pay Gap (%) |
-1.79 |
|||
Occupational Segregation
One of the key factors influencing the gender pay gap is occupational segregation; the tendency for certain groups of employees to be concentrated in specific roles or pay grades.
There are two types of occupational segregation:
• Horizontal segregation: When men and women work in different types of jobs.
• Vertical segregation: When men and women are clustered at different levels of seniority or pay.
We see clear signs of vertical segregation in our organisation. Many women are employed in lower graded roles, often in traditionally female dominated areas such as social care, cleaning, and administration. In contrast, men are more likely to hold higher graded positions.
Additionally, more women than men work part-time, which can limit earning potential and career progression further contributing to the pay gap.
The table below show a snapshot of our data as of 31 March 2025.
Please note: this information reflects the five-directorate structure in place during 2024/25, before the organisational change on 1 April 2025.
To explore the data, simply select a directorate name (e.g, ELH, ESR) from the top of the table to view its corresponding data.
