5 things to know about WGEA automation

Thinking about automating your WGEA annual reporting process?

This post is a summary of the different tools and how to choose

For Australian HR leaders, the annual WGEA report used to be a frantic compliance exercise—a box to be ticked. But with the recent legislative changes publicly "listing" employer gender pay gaps, the stakes have shifted dramatically. It is no longer just about submitting data; it is about understanding and explaining it.

The challenge? Most HR systems weren't built for this level of scrutiny. While the market is flooded with tools promising "automation," the reality is often a mixed bag of CSV dumps and manual Excel wrangling.

Whether you are looking at a full-suite HRIS (like ELMO or Aurion) or a specialised gender pay gap solutions (like EvenBetter.ai or Equidi), here are the five critical things you need to know before investing in a solution.

1. "Exportable" does not mean "Automated"

Many HR platforms claim to handle WGEA reporting, but you must read the fine print.

• The Trap: A standard HRIS often simply exports a raw CSV file containing your employee data. It leaves you to manually format that data into the strict 16-column "Workplace Profile" Excel template required by the WGEA portal and classify each employee records to WGEA's definitions.

• The Solution: True automation involves a "WGEA Wizard." Look for tools that generate the actual .XLS files in the exact format WGEA accepts, complete with the correct headers and file validations. If the software doesn't do the formatting for you, you aren't buying automation; you're just buying a slightly faster export button.

  
  

2. The "Math" is harder than you think (especially for Casuals)

The most common error in WGEA reporting is calculating Annualised Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) earnings. WGEA doesn't want to know what you actually paid a casual employee; they want to know what that employee would have earned if they worked full-time for a year.

• The Trap: Most global payroll systems (like ADP or Workday) report actual earnings perfectly but struggle to automatically calculate this hypothetical "annualised" figure for Australian compliance without complex custom scripts.

• The Solution: Your chosen tool must have built-in logic to handle these calculations automatically. It should be able to take a casual's hourly rate and extrapolate it to a full-time equivalent without you needing to open a calculator for every single employee.

  
  

3. ANZSCO Coding is the silent time-killer

Every employee in your report must be assigned a 4-to-6 digit ANZSCO code (Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations) and a "Manager" vs. "Non-Manager" category.

• The Trap: If your HRIS doesn't force you to capture this data during onboarding, you will spend weeks manually mapping job titles to government codes before the submission deadline.

• The Solution: Specialised AI tools (like EvenBetter.ai) are increasingly superior here. They can use AI to read your internal job hierarchy and automatically suggest the correct standard 4 digit ANZSCO code, saving you hours of manual cross-referencing.

4. Compliance is yesterday’s goal; Strategy is today’s

In the era of public transparency, knowing your number isn't enough - you need to know how to fix it.

• The Trap: Traditional HRIS platforms are "rear-view mirrors." They tell you what your gap was last year, but they offer no advice on how to close it.

• The Solution: This is where specialised platforms shine. EvenBetter.ai doesn't just report the gap; they identify the drivers (e.g., "Is my gap caused by bonuses in Sales or base salary in Tech?"). It moves you from "reporting" to "resolving" by helping you model scenarios - showing you exactly how your pay gap will shrink if you hire more women in leadership or adjust specific salary bands.

5. You need "What If" scenarios before you hire

The most advanced feature in WGEA automation isn't the report itself - it's the ability to predict the future.

• The Trap: You submit your report, realise your gap has widened, and scramble to write a defensive employer statement.

• The Solution: Look for a tool with predictive modelling. Some AI solutions allow you to test hiring decisions before they happen. For example, "If we hire this male candidate for the Head of Engineering role at $200k, how will that impact our public WGEA score?" This turns WGEA from a once-a-year headache into a year-round strategic tool.

Conclusion: Don't just dump data - transform it

The market is splitting into two camps: Generalist HRIS platforms that focus on data capture, and Specialized AI tools that focus on data intelligence.

If your goal is simply to avoid a regulator slap-on-the-wrist, a standard HRIS with a WGEA wizard (like ELMO or Aurion) may be sufficient but will still require manual work at your end. But if your goal is to protect your reputation and genuinely close the gap, "dumping" data from your HRIS is no longer enough.

Increasingly, companies are now using AI solutions like EvenBetter.ai to sit on top of their HRIS. These tools act as the intelligence layer - cleaning the data, automating the complex compliance math, and providing the strategic "what if" analysis that simple reporting tools miss. In 2026, the best WGEA strategy isn't just about filing the report; it's about using AI to write a better story for your organisation.