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Reducing Inequality - The Gender Pay Gap in Australia
In 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 sustainable development goals to ensure global prosperity by 2030. Goal 10, Reduced Inequality, is a broad goal that encompasses various dimensions of inequality, including economic, social, and political inequalities. While I acknowledge the immense privilege of living in a wealthy nation like Australia, I am disheartened by the disparities faced by marginalised communities, such as women in the workforce.
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s 2022 Report highlights how the gender pay gap is an ongoing area of inequality in Australia. I have heard people argue that this is due to the over-representation of women in lower-paying social service jobs and the under-representation of women in higher-paying executive and managerial roles. Although I believe this disproportionate workforce distribution is an additional issue, this argument is factually incorrect. The gender pay gap continues to sit at 13.3% even when male and female salaries are statistically matched according to occupation, industry, age and employment status.
I believe bridging the pay gap ultimately requires a concerted effort from parliament and employers.
In parliamentary space, the Albanese government has passed two initiatives to combat the pay discrepancies. These include:
- The Fair Work Legislation Amendment Act prohibits pay secrecy from June 2023
- The Workplace Gender Equality Amendment Bill requires large companies to publish their pay gap and implement strategies to combat internal inequality from 2024
Although I am confident these legislations will improve the gender pay gap, eliminating the gap is ultimately the result of employer actions and a company commitment to fostering a diverse workforce.
But what does this look like? A company commitment to eliminating the wage gap means:
🔎Conducting pay gap analysis - Recognising and understanding discrepancies is the first step to developing efficient solutions.
👪Gender neutral paid parental leave - Promoting shared familial responsibility will reduce gender stereotypes and the career penalty women face when they take maternal leave.
💻Normalising flexible working arrangements - Accommodating an employee's commitments outside of work will empower men and women to invest in their careers and family.
✍️Standardising the recruitment/promotion process - Ensuring recruitment/promotion processes are standardised to job requirements will reduce a bias in favour of applicants who fit a stereotyped profile.
🦺Support training for women re-entering the workforce - Investing in the training and transition of women re-entering the workforce will mitigate the career penalty they face for taking maternal leave.
In Australia, eliminating the pay gap requires a government and corporate-wide commitment to policy changes, accountability measures, and cultural shifts. I am very encouraged by the work Project Resource Partners is doing in partnership with Jobs Academy, a program run by Future Women, to help women find supportive work, regardless of their circumstances. I believe Jobs Academy facilitates corporate-wide equality by providing professional development, networking, mentoring, and ongoing support to women across the workforce. To find out more about how Jobs Academy has been bridging workplace inequality, visit https://lnkd.in/gu67ERij
Tahlia Jackson
Candidate Consultant
(Please note: I am not in the office Tuesdays + Thursdays)
Level 7, 360 Collins Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9949 8167 M +61 450 069 958
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