It cannot be denied that gender equality- especially within the workforce, has been a hot button topic this year. There have been endless reports released over the last eight months relating to the contentious issue; ranging from the pay gap between men and women, the statistics involving the number of women in leadership roles and whether this statistic is growing in comparison to leadership figures a decade ago.
The latest report to be released is one by the Federal Government called the Workplace Gender and Equality Strategy report. This report found that although the majority of Australians value gender equality within the workplace, many are unsure how to achieve this and what a gender balanced workforce actually looks like.
While 50% of organisations have a standalone gender equality policy and 45% of organisations have policies on flexible work and family/caring responsibilities, these strategies are lacking in practical application. Many employers are left wondering how to apply the theory into practice.
The Minister assisting the Minister for Women, Senator Michaelia Cash commented on these findings last week saying “strong implementation strategies are essential, as they provide organisations with steps to reach their equality goals”
Furthermore, she added that promoting workplace gender equality has clear economic benefits, allowing organisations to attract and retain high performing staff.
Another interesting finding from the report was that without specific implementation strategies in place, gender equality is in danger of becoming a “women’s issue”.
According to the government’s findings, some organisations see the solution to gender equality as simply creating a positive environment for women. However this is an overly simplistic approach that can marginalise male employees and employers.
Focusing on creating an environment for women gives the incorrect notion that gender equality revolves around women which […]
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