An investigation into the employment policies adopted at Tesco Plc and its impact on closing the gender pay gap

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Management
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MANAGEMENT
ExecutiveSummary
The thesis have been developed in order to identify the factors that cause he gender pay gap
in Tesco, UK and analyse the outcomes of the discriminatory pay practices. The first chapter
of the thesis paper highlights that well-written employment policies focus on helping business
in several ways and moreover, policies demonstrate that organizations is supposed to operate
in an efficient and effective manner. So, considering the stated fact and the background of
equal pay and employment policies, it can be mentioned that issue of gender pay gap at
Tesco Plc. is a serious concern and it requires to be addressed on highest priority with proper
investigation. The second chapter that is the literature review reflects the various aspects
related to gender pay gap in the corporate organisations across UK. The extent of pay based
discrimination is highlighted in this chapter that shows the gravity of the issue in UK as well
as in Tesco. The human capital theory as well as the Undervaluation theory have been used in
this section to analyse the factors that causes the gender based pay differences. The following
chapter is the research methodology. This chapter highlights the research, approach,
philosophy and design along with detailed layout of the data collection as well as data
analysis methods used here. The fourth chapter is the data findings and analysis chapter. This
section highlights the Gender pay gap among female and male workforce in Tesco followed
by the factors leading to disparity in pays of working employees in Tesco. The last chapter
provides a concluding statement against the research conducted.

2MANAGEMENT
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................3
1.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................3
1.2 Background to the research.........................................................................................3
1.3 Problem Statement.......................................................................................................4
1.4 Research aims and objectives......................................................................................5
1.5 Research Questions.....................................................................................................5
1.6 Significance of the study..................................................................................................5
1.6 Summary......................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................7
2.1 Introduction......................................................................................................................7
2.2 Gender pay gap among female and male workforce........................................................7
2.3 Underlining the factors leading to disparity in pays of working employees....................8
2.4 Differences in human capital...........................................................................................9
2.4.1 The Human Capital Theory.....................................................................................11
2.5 Undervaluation Theory..................................................................................................12
2.6 Strategies employed to tackle gender pay gap...............................................................13
2.7 Salary Transparency and elimination of negotiations....................................................14
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................16
3.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................16
3.2 Research Philosophy......................................................................................................16

3MANAGEMENT
3.3 Research Approach........................................................................................................16
3.4 Research Design.............................................................................................................17
3.5 Data collection process..................................................................................................18
3.6 Data Analysis Process....................................................................................................19
3.7 Research Ethics..............................................................................................................20
CHAPTER 4: DATA FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS.............................................................21
4.1 Theme 1: Gender pay gap among female and male workforce in Tesco.......................21
4.2 Theme 2: Factors leading to disparity in pays of working employees in Tesco............23
4.3 Theme 3: The institutionalised undervaluation..............................................................26
Discussion........................................................................................................................28
CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................30
Reference List..........................................................................................................................32

4MANAGEMENT
Title- An investigation into the employment policies adopted at Tesco Plc and its impact
on closing the gender pay gap Business Dissertation
Organization- Tesco
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
This research project performs an investigation of employment policies adapted at Tesco Plc
and its effect in closing the gender pay gap. It has been identified that employment policies
help employers to respond confidently if employees act inappropriately. However, it is
certain that employers, very often, do not have effective, clear or complaint policies
procedures. Employee policies and procedures are typically developed by organization’s
human resource department as well as distributed to all employees. So, inefficiencies and
flaws in the policies result in negativity and unethical occurrences, since the employees arwe
demotivated to work under the flawed and biased regulatory frameworks. The purpose of this
study is to investigate the employment policies of Tesco and the pay gap issuer recently
occurred at Tesco. Gender wage gap is nuanced and complex issue and thereby, this study
appropriately investigates the issues and analyse its impact. This chapter is an introductory
section which starts with providing a background to employment policies and issues of
gender pay gap in organizations. Based on the background suitable research questions and
objectives have been developed in the following.
1.2 Background to the research
Addabbo et al. (2015) mentioned that failure to pay women equally limit their abilities to
attain the economic stability; this means if women are paid equally as men, for example, the
poverty rate among women could decrease from 8.0% to 3.8%. Faccio, Marchica and Mura
(2016) performed a study and mentioned the fact that 121 occupations from 2017, financial

5MANAGEMENT
adviser is the profession with the largest pay gaps are in finance. So, such sector continues to
be dominated by men which is a part of the reasons that their pay is higher than female
employees. It has also been identified that majority of time in United State are usually offered
higher salaries compared to female employees in the same organization. These evidences
clarifies the fact that there is a series of contradictions in the employment policies as limiting
women’s pay fuels inequality in the system. According to Campos et al. (2017), policies are
significant or necessary in a workplace because it helps as well as clarifies the standards
expected of both employers and employees and help organization as a whole to manage
because policies define what is acceptable and unacceptable in the workplace.
It is worth telling that well-written employment policies focus on helping business in
several ways and moreover, policies demonstrate that organizations is supposed to operate in
an efficient and effective manner. So, considering the stated fact and the background of equal
pay and employment policies, it can be mentioned that issue of gender pay gap at Tesco Plc
is a serious concern and it requires to be addressed on highest priority with proper
investigation. Existing employment policies of Tesco Plc indicate the fact that the
supermarket giant is committed to upholding human rights and support in full the UN
“Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Labour Organization Core
Conventions” as on labour standards, working hours as well as safety for employees.
Nonetheless, there is clear contradiction between the policies made by Tesco and the incident
of unequal pay to women in the recent time. Thus, this study is determined to investigate the
stated the issue and find a suitable implications (Levanon and Grusky 2016).
1.3 Problem Statement
In the recent time, Tesco is observed to be having some overwhelming issues related to
disparity in employees’ pay and female employees in the organizations are said to be victims

6MANAGEMENT
of unequal pay of wages. Despite the claim of having a stiff and fair employment policies, the
supermarket giant Tesco Plc. is found to be facing the trouble of disparity in employees’ pay.
1.4 Research aims and objectives
The aim of the study is to investigate the pay gap issue recently occurred at Tesco Plc United
Kingdom. Following are the key objectives to achieve the stated research aim
 To examine the issue of gender pay gap among female and male workforce of Tesco
PLC
 To investigate the underlying the factors of disparity in pays of working employees
 To assess the factors leading towards unequal wages for the female workforce in
Tesco outlets
 To investigate the HR strategies in place at Tesco’s and examine their expectation
1.5 Research Questions
 What is the issue of gender pay gap among female and male workforce of Tesco
PLC?
 What are the underlying factors of disparity in pays of working employees?
 What is the impact of factors leading towards unequal pay on female workforce in
Tesco PLC?
1.6 Significance of the study
The study helps to unfold the facts leading to unequal pay to female workforce in the
organizations. Moreover, the outcome of the study provides comprehensive insights to
Tesco’s HR managers about the business issue like disparity in wages. In addition, the
findings also helps the managers and supervisors of Tesco to rearrange or formulate the
policies or implement strategies to resolve the issues.

7MANAGEMENT
1.6 Summary
This chapter builds the backbone of the entire dissertation as it introduces the topic in
detail along with the purpose of performing the study in the chosen context. Background to
study clarifies the fact that inequality in pay in female workforce is certainly a significant
issue in organizations. Thus, the study aims to investigate the employment policies of the
organization and then analyses the issues of disparity. On the basis of the objectives
developed in the chapter, review of literature has been performed in the following chapter.