Gender inequality still plagues Australian workplaces

Young Australian women are still fighting for gender equality in the workplace as they face significant challenges in achieving equal pay, respect, and opportunities, and often find themselves spoken down to and passed over for promotions.

Professor Rae Cooper, Director of the Gender Equality in Working Life Research Initiative at the University of Sydney, and Co-author of the Gender dynamics in the post-pandemic future of work report, said women continue to be frustrated as they strive for the same opportunities as their male colleagues.

“We need to think about the systemic bias and cultures of our organisations that devalue and discriminate against women. Good employers will be paying attention to this to attract talented women to work in their organisations,” she said.

Differences in perceptions also need to be addressed, with 71% of men surveyed agreeing that men and women are treated and listened to equally in their current job, compared to 61% of women. Additionally, 70% of men agreed that men and women have the same chance for promotion, compared to 62% of women.

Women also identified respect at work as a key desire, said Elizabeth Hill, Co-author of the report and Deputy Director of the Gender Equality in Working Life Research Initiative at the University of Sydney “This was followed closely by a desire for secure employment, flexible working options and decent rates of pay,” she added.

READ: Australia aims to create diverse female leadership in the workplace

The survey, which gathered data from 1,000 men and 1,000 women aged 40 and under in Australia, also found that 77% of them want to work from home between one to five days a week, but only 38% of women and 44% of men currently do.