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Equal work of equal value

What does “equal work of equal value” mean, and how do we define it?

At a glance

The Directive goes beyond equal pay for the same job. It also requires employers to ensure equal pay for different jobs that are of equal value.

This means comparing roles by the demands they place on employees — not just by job title or department.
 

    Let’s break it down

    “Equal work of equal value” is a core principle of the EU Pay Transparency Directive. It means that people in different roles may still be entitled to equal pay if those roles require a comparable level of:

    • Skill
    • Responsibility
    • Effort
    • Working conditions

    For example, a warehouse supervisor and a customer service manager may perform very different tasks, but if the complexity, responsibility, and decision-making involved are comparable, their roles may be considered equal in value.

    How to evaluate fairly:

    • To assess this, employers need structured systems, such as:
    • A clear job architecture or classification framework
    • Gender-neutral job evaluation methods
    • Documented criteria like technical qualifications, team or budget responsibility, physical or emotional demands, or working conditions

    Important distinction:

    Performance or results may influence progression, bonuses, or variable pay, but they do not change the baseline value of a role. Equal value assessments focus on the inherent demands of the job, not how well someone performs it.
     

      What this means in practice

      Applying this principle will require many organisations to formalise role definitions and evaluation processes for the first time. That includes:

      • Mapping roles to consistent categories or grades
      • Ensuring criteria are objective and explainable
      • Training HR and managers to apply frameworks consistently

      This structure not only helps with compliance, it also makes pay and progression decisions clearer and more defensible to employees.
       

        Why it matters

        Understanding “equal work of equal value” is essential to creating pay systems that employees perceive as fair and transparent. Without it, even well-meaning organisations can embed hidden inequities.

        By putting structured frameworks in place, you move beyond legal compliance and build a workplace culture grounded in clarity, consistency, and trust.


         

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