Gender Pay Gap Reporting Service

Problem

Compiling Gender Pay Gap data is both time-consuming and a legal requirement. The service needed to better support employers to (1) submit accurate reports efficiently and (2) encourage actions to address their Gender Pay Gap.

What I did

• Reviewed and synthesised existing Beta research to establish what was already known and where gaps remained.
• Analysed service data to identify patterns: where users made errors, where drop-offs occurred, and where the process broke down.
• Conducted cross-channel feedback analysis to surface recurring pain points and issues.
• Ran internal stakeholder sessions, including sessions with behavioural psychology teams, to understand different hypotheses and constraints.
• Identified and recruited employers using the service, then conducted multiple rounds of research (remote and in-person) to understand needs and context of use.
• Led / contributed to synthesis sessions to turn findings into actionable artefacts and design direction.

Key findings / decisions

• Reporting was perceived as burdensome; users needed clearer guidance and error prevention at key steps.
• Behavioural and informational cues were a lever to move the service beyond “submission” toward “addressing the gap”.
• The service needed an updated journey and clearer segmentation of employer needs.

Outputs

• Consolidated insight from prior research + new research
• Updated personas
• Updated end-to-end user journey
• Prototype of an improved reporting portal
• Usability testing feedback on the prototype to validate improvements and refine direction

Outcome

Created an evidence-based foundation for a future iteration of the service by combining analytics + feedback + employer research into a validated prototype direction, aimed at improving completion, reducing errors, and better supporting employers beyond compliance.

Methods / Tools

Service data analysis; feedback analysis; stakeholder workshops; employer interviews/research (remote + in person); synthesis; personas/journeys; prototype testing with Gov.uk prototype.