Gender equality scorecard' finds gaps in every industry

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) have released the latest ‘gender equality scorecard’, finding that while many areas have seen improvement there is still a ways to go.

This data gives an overview on how workplaces in 2016-17 addressed pay gaps and gender imbalances.

The WGEA found the following:

• Men earn $26k a year more than women, however this is trending down (0.4 percentage points lower than the year before)
• Promotions are on the rise, with women making up 38.4 per cent of all managers
• Employers with flexible work policies has increased 5.3 percentage points to 68.3 per cent
• The promotion of women directors on board and governing bodies is at 24.9 per cent, up 0.2 percentage points.
• More employers are being held accountable for gender inequality, with KPIs relating to promotion, retention and talent identification increasing 5 percentage points

These figures show that while every single industry and occupation across the Australian workforce has a “full-time gender pay gap favouring men”, more employers are acting to address pay gaps and gender imbalances.

‘Technicians and Trades workers’ recorded the largest gender pay gap, with a 26.7 per cent difference worth $28,042.

Libby Lyons, WGEA Director, said the latest figures show “strong improvement in employer awareness but the pace of change needs to increase.”

“In Australia today, men still out earn women in every industry and across all occupations.

“This is not about women’s choices: whether you are a manager, a scientist, a butcher, a baker or even a TV presenter, there is a gender pay gap favouring men.

“The sharp increases in employer action show that the momentum for improved gender equality is building.

“I am very encouraged that many more employers are now analysing their pay data for gender pay gaps and hopeful this will flow through to improved pay outcomes for women in the years ahead.

“Other positive developments include an increase in managers having KPIs related to gender equality and more women are being appointed to manager roles.

“Unfortunately, the number of women on boards remains static and too few organisations are reporting their gender metrics up to the board. We need to see some real change. Boards must take more accountability for gender equality,” said Ms Lyons.

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