Gender Pay Reporting

Hidden Hearing as a matter of stated policy and, more importantly, values, pays staff according to the role they fulfil and their productivity in it, without gender bias.

At the snapshot date (April 2021) Hidden Hearing recorded a headcount of 515, 62% of whom were female.  

The largest single group of employees continues to be our Registered Hearing Aid Dispensers (209 employees) of whom 59% are male.  Dispensers are paid according to one of two standard packages, both of which have standard basic and standard productivity criteria, the second of which (less costly) replaced the first for all dispensers registering after April 2017.  The 2021 figures show that the % of female dispensers has increased from 41% compared to last year. However, female dispensers still have a lower average length of service (see fig.1) which are therefore disproportionately on the new package.

The Operating Manager Group (sales) is a little over 56% female. 

The second largest group of staff, Branch Coordinators have variable basic pay, which is benchmarked against regional comparative roles.  There is a standard productivity scheme.  97% of Branch Coordinators are female.  There has been no change to this % despite a change in role title from Receptionist to Coordinators in an attempt to attract a more even gender mix.

The mathematical gap reported is driven by two further facts:

• Male dispensers are, on average, significantly more productive than their female equivalents and are paid accordingly. There is only two female dispenser among the top 12 sales people (6th and 10th) (This is an increase of one on last year's statistics).
• Amongst the Board and Support Centre Managers, there are 7 senior and very long-serving individuals, all of them male. The most recent Board appointment, 5 years ago, was female and younger than her Board colleagues. The Company remains mindful of the need for gender balance all the way up the pyramid.
• In 2021 looking at the Upper quartile pay range there is an increase in the % of females appearing in the top 25% of earners (from 36 - 40%).
• We are pleased to see the disparity in the upper and upper middle quartile pay bands has reduced with the proportion of females increasing. Also the pay gap average has decreased showing the gap narrowing between men and women's pay.

We continue to work to close the Gender Pay Gap by:

• using structured interviews with grading to ensure a fair and consistent process
• recruitment training for managers including cognition of potential unconscious bias
• extending the use of flexible working options to both male and female employees including hybrid working
• from January 2022 Hidden Hearing introduced enhanced company maternity, paternity and adoption leave pay

In November 2021 Demant, Hidden Hearing's parent company, launched a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion survey. Two of the goals of this project are:

1. General gender distribution.
With regard to the gender distribution of our entire employee population, we will strive to achieve a relevant gender balancing. The gender balance of the local labour market varies from country to country, and our efforts will thus reflect both the local situation and our desire to contribute to improving the local gender balance.

2. Females in senior management positions.
Increasing the number of female managers in senior management is one of our focus areas, so when openings for senior management positions are advertised, we insist that the candidate short list includes qualifies female candidates.  

Richard Boyd
Managing Director

2021-22 Reporting year

Percentage of men and women in each hourly pay quarter

Mean and median gender pay gap using hourly pay

Percentage of men and women who received bonus pay

Mean and median gender pay hap using bonus pay

Employee headcount