March 8 saw the world celebrate International Women’s Day. It is a day widely acknowledged, but the fact we have such a day on our calendars is a reminder that there is still work to be done on gender equality – particularly in the workplace.
Robert Half Australia, in collaboration with our global consulting firm Protiviti, celebrated International Women’s Day by hosting a conversation with Dr Sonja Hood AM, President of North Melbourne Football Club, and 2024 AFLW premiership winning Captain Emma Kearney.
Moderated by Lauren Haxby, Practice Director at Robert Half, Sonja and Emma brought fresh perspectives to the table on how we can “accelerate action”, tackling complex gender issues with candour. They discussed the impact of women in leadership and prompted a broader conversation about mutual support in the workplace, whether it be in the office or on the football field.
Here we share Sonja and Emma’s thoughts on gender equality in the workplace, coupled with the latest research findings of gender equality in Australia’s workplaces.
Progress, but still a way to go
While great strides have been made in Australia on gender equality, there are still substantial gaps across many areas of the workplace.
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) reports that women make up half the workforce, yet comprise only:
19.4% of CEOs
32.5% of key management positions
33% of board members, and
18% of board chairs.
The Governance Institute of Australia notes that representation of women on ASX 300 boards has risen to 36%, though this has barely moved since 2023 (35%).
On the plus side, the latest WGEA pay data confirms one in two (56%) employers have improved their gender pay gap in the last 12 months.
Even so, nearly three in four (72%) of all employers have a gender pay gap in favour of men. High-paying employers are most likely to have a gender pay gap in favour of men – and a larger gender pay gap.
Only one in five (21%) Australian employers have an average gender pay gap in the WGEA’s target range of -5% and +5%.
Why gender equality matters for business success
Why is this significant?
Gender-based pay gaps can speak volumes about an employer, and with WGEA publishing the pay gap of more than 7,800 Australian organisations including some of our largest listed companies, there is little room for employers to hide.
Robert Half director Nicole Gorton says the prevalence of a gender pay gap is encouraging candidates to ask employers about it during the interview process – and in some cases, to ask for an explanation of the causes of their gaps and what steps are being taken to narrow the gap.
This highlights that gender equality is more than a buzzword – and Sonja and Emma agree.
Moreover, research shows a variety of positive links between gender equality and organisational success. As a guide, McKinsey studies conducted over many years confirm that:
Companies with the highest proportion of women executives earned a 47% higher return on equity compared to companies with no women executives.
Companies in the top 25% for gender diversity are 27% more likely to be more profitable than the industry average.
Conversely, companies in the bottom 25% for gender diversity are significantly less likely to record profits above industry averages.
The benefits don’t stop there.
Studies by the International labour Organisation found enterprises with inclusive cultures and policies are better able to attract and retain talent, achieve greater innovation, have enhanced reputations and are better able to gauge consumer interest and demand.
Bringing diverse experiences to the table
All these findings underscore the value of gender equality. But what merit does International Women’s Day really have for Australian women?
Dr Sonja Hood believes, “Days like International Women's Day are incredibly important.”
With herself as Club President, and Jennifer Watt as CEO of the North Melbourne Football Club, Sonja likes to point out that despite having two women leaders, “the sky hasn’t fallen in” for the club.
Add in male leaders – Todd Viney as General Manager of Football, Alastair Clarkson as Senior Men's Coach and Darren Crocker as Senior Women's Coach, and Sonja says the 5-strong gender-diverse leadership team creates “a really great collegiate environment”.
“We all bring a different personality and a different skill set to the conversation,” says Sonja. “Some of that is about gender. Some of it is about life experience. But frankly we have different life experiences because we're different genders – and that's the way that our world works.”
Sonja adds, “We have moved to a point of being able to talk about the things that unite us rather than the things that divide us.
“Part of the ability to do that is there are just more women in the room – and that's no disrespect to the men. This shift has been important, and one thing women are quite good at is having empathy. It is a really good quality as a leader.”
Challenges and how to overcome them
As Captain of North Melbourne Football Club AFLW, Emma Kearney sees International Women’s Day as a “great opportunity” to share stories about the different perspectives that women have, whether it be in leadership, or in other workplaces.
“I think it is important that we are continuing to have these conversations,” says Emma. “We are continuing to educate people to make ongoing change.”
That’s not to say gender issues don’t arise even at an elite sporting level.
Emma explains men at the club can often ask how they can help the women. “They never get it from the other perspective,” she observes.
“If I look at the life experience of our women players compared to the men, a lot of us are working full time jobs. So we have had life experiences, we deal with different people on a day-to-day basis. And I think those sorts of qualities can make really good leaders.
“So I think we've just got to change the narrative a little bit to how can we work together rather than it's the men helping the women.”
As in other areas, female sport is often beset by a gender pay gap.
As Emma Kearney notes, within the context of football, this fundamentally relates to viewership, which drives revenue. However, progress is being made.
“We can't fix the pay gap between male players and female players,” adds Sonja. “That's beyond us. But we could hide behind that gap and plenty of clubs have. Instead, we have looked at every line in our business and where there is an inexplicable gap we have fixed it.”
Sonja notes that in terms of AFLW, closing the gender pay gap will come with consumer demand though it will take time. “This is going to be a tension point for the next decade,” she notes. “But at least we're talking about it.”
Share the stories, take action
Emma sums up the action needed to achieve gender equality saying it starts with celebrating the women within your workplace.
She acknowledges that this may involve what can be uncomfortable conversations, but adds, “Don't be afraid to ask questions. Because that's sometimes where the best learnings come from.”
Sonja points to the need to think about the practical things we can do and the questions we can ask: “What questions do you ask when you're recruiting? What questions do you ask of your shortlists? What questions do you ask of your teams? What questions do you ask about the pay?,” she says. “It's not hard to make small changes that can actually lead to a really meaningful outcome.”
8 steps to promote gender equality and women's empowerment in the workplace
Nicole Gorton says there are a number of low cost strategies organisations can leverage to support workplace gender equality. She offers eight possible strategies based on trends observed across global workplaces:
1. Focus on skills and experience for leadership promotions
Take steps to focus on skills and experience when putting forward talent for leadership roles while also developing leadership training programs.
2. Encourage inclusivity in hiring
Encourage female leaders to be involved in recruitment activities – from job design to implementing diverse interview panels, and activities aimed at positioning the organisation as an employer of choice amongst women.
3. Education, upskilling and development
Fund training programs to make them more accessible and promote upskilling initiatives to women in the organisation.
4. Empower women in technology
Boost female representation in technology roles by organising workshops, mentorship sessions and coding challenges to inspire women interested in technology.
5. Create family-friendly policies
Many business leaders recognise the value of implementing family-friendly policies. This may include providing parental support groups and flexible working hours or flexi-time aimed at facilitating a balance between work and family responsibilities.
6. Ethical communications
Communications – both internal and external, need to be both ethical and inclusive to ensure messages resonate with all employees.
7. Identify and remove systemic barriers and (un)conscious bias
Gender-based audits can identify and address systemic barriers and biases in the workplace that may be an obstacle to women's professional development.
8. Mentoring and allyship
Initiatives such as mentoring programs, allyship between genders and panel discussions to learn more about individuals' experiences and inspirational stories can be efficient strategies in reducing, and ultimately eliminating, gender inequality.
In particular, having male allies actively participate in initiatives aimed at promoting gender equality demonstrates a collective effort towards inclusivity.
Related: How to support gender equality in the workplace
“Building a gender inclusive workplace can bring multiple benefits to a company,” says Nicole.
“Yes, any initiatives undertaken can require resources, and it may take time for inclusivity to become fully embedded in the organisation. But it is imperative that we continue to push for systemic change, overcome barriers and create working environments where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to thrive and succeed.
“Only through continued efforts and collective action on a large scale can we achieve true gender equality,” adds Nicole.
Break through preconceptions, have self-belief
Dr Sonja Hood observes, “If we all stepped back from our preconceptions about who we are, and just looked at the task in front of us – and who are the best people to get the task done – preconceptions about what you can or can't do because of your gender turn out to be reasonably nonsense.”
She adds, “I've lived with those preconceptions all my life. But I look at my daughter's generation and they don't. She doesn't see gender in the same way that I did, or do, and neither do the men in her world. And I think that's extraordinary.”
As Emma Kearney notes, her role as a coach came about because the AFL gave football clubs scholarships for women to get involved in coaching. North Melbourne approached Emma to see if she wanted to be a coach, and she admits she had plenty of self-doubts.
“Part of me was like ‘why would they want me to do it – I'm not good enough’,” recalls Emma. “Then I thought, every time I've jumped into a new role, I've always felt that way.
“But I still jump in, and I've learnt so much. I've grown so much as a person because of putting myself out there and taking myself out of my comfort zone.
“It's still scary, no doubt, and I still make mistakes,” says Emma. “But I've learned not to dwell on my mistakes. It's about how I can learn best. The environment I am in is scary because I'm the only female coach amongst a whole group of men that I deal with on a day-to-day basis. But if you are approached to do something, throw your hand at it. Even if you do not think that you are qualified.
“I think women feel like they have to tick every single box to do something. But you don’t. Trust me, you will learn skills along the way.”
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