The modern workforce is shifting towards greater flexibility, inclusivity, and wellbeing—especially for women. As organisations adapt to the evolving needs of employees, policies such as four-day work weeks, enhanced parental leave, hybrid work arrangements, and strong workplace wellbeing programs are proving instrumental in attracting, retaining, and advancing women in the workplace.
However, as recent normative study data shows, there is still a wide gap between the Best Workplaces in Australia and typical workplaces in Australia, with fairness, wellbeing, and leadership trust suffering in typical workplaces. Leading organisations, by contrast, are actively shaping environments where women can thrive through progressive policies that support both career growth and personal commitments.
Four-Day Work Week: A Catalyst for Work-Life Balance
While the four-day work week is not yet mainstream in Australia, several companies are adopting compressed or flexible hours, giving employees—especially women—more control over their work schedules.
For example, CreditorWatch offers employees an additional 10 wellness days per year on top of annual leave, enabling better work-life integration. Sandoz has introduced nine-day fortnights during summer months, allowing employees to enjoy extended weekends while maintaining full pay. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that productivity does not hinge on long hours but on efficient, balanced work structures.
Parental Leave: Beyond the Basics to Real Impact
Parental leave remains a critical factor in supporting women’s career longevity, yet only the best workplaces in Australia offer truly equitable leave policies. The gap between the Best Workplaces in Australia and Typical Australian workplaces in fairness scores is more than 9 points, showing that employees in less supportive workplaces continue to experience bias and barriers to career progression.
At carsales, primary caregivers (including fathers) receive 22 weeks of paid parental leave, while secondary caregivers receive four weeks. Uniquely, the company also pays superannuation throughout the entire 12-month leave period, closing one of the biggest gender wealth gaps that emerge during maternity breaks.
Meanwhile, Smokeball offers 18 weeks of fully paid parental leave, with no requirement for return-to-work commitments. They are also exploring paying superannuation on unpaid parental leave, setting a new benchmark in the tech sector.
In contrast, the typical Australian workplace offers only the government-mandated minimums, which often leave women struggling financially during extended time off. Companies investing in gender-equal parental leave policies are not only supporting working mothers but also encouraging more men to take on caregiving roles, breaking traditional gender norms in the workplace.
Employee Retention: Keeping Women in the Workforce
Retention is a major challenge for workplaces that fail to address career progression, inclusivity, and burnout—with women disproportionately affected.
At hipages Group, leadership has committed to “Autonomy to Choose”, where employees define their own work schedules and locations. This has led to an increase in female retention rates, as women no longer feel forced to choose between their careers and personal responsibilities.
Similarly, Specsavers attributes its high female retention rates to transparent leadership, structured career development, and recognition programs. The company has also introduced wellbeing initiatives focused on mental health, flexible working, and financial empowerment, key factors in ensuring women stay and advance in their careers.
By contrast, burnout and lack of support are key reasons women leave traditional workplaces. Data shows that wellbeing scores in Best Workplaces in Australia are nearly 10 points higher than in Typical Australian Workplaces, indicating that progressive policies significantly impact long-term retention.
Workplace Wellbeing: The Missing Piece in Typical Workplaces
Women in Australian workplaces continue to face higher levels of stress and burnout, especially in environments that lack flexibility and mental health support. The Best Workplaces in Australia outperform the Typical Australian Workplaces by nearly 10 points in Great Place To Work wellbeing metrics, reinforcing the importance of progressive workplace culture.
Adobe has taken this insight seriously, introducing Global Wellbeing Days, in addition to annual leave, to encourage employees to disconnect together. The company also provides free therapy sessions, financial wellbeing support, and wellness stipends.
At Smokeball, employees receive an annual wellbeing allowance, which 80% of employees use to support their mental and physical health. The company also offers three additional “Reboot Days” per year, designed specifically to combat burnout and encourage rest.
4 Pines Brewing Company fosters a flexible and inclusive culture, allowing employees to adjust their work schedules based on personal commitments. Employees also receive an annual wellness subsidy, making it easier to access mental health and self-care services.
Meanwhile, hipages Group has integrated mental health first aid training, ensuring that managers are equipped to support their teams effectively. Their Thrive wellbeing program includes access to GPs, psychologists, dietitians, and health coaches, setting a standard for comprehensive employee support.
Leading Companies Driving Change for Women
Below are key companies setting new benchmarks for women in the workplace:
Four-Day Work Week & Flexible Scheduling
- CreditorWatch – 10 additional wellness days per year, flexible work hours.
- Sandoz – Nine-day fortnights during summer.
- hipages Group – “Autonomy to Choose” policy, empowering employees to control
work schedules.
Parental Leave Policies
- carsales – 22 weeks of paid parental leave, superannuation throughout leave.
- Smokeball – 18 weeks of paid parental leave
- CreditorWatch – Special maternity leave for miscarriage and stillbirth.
Employee Retention & Career Growth
- Specsavers – Leadership transparency, career development, and wellbeing initiatives.
- hipages Group – Hybrid work model and autonomy-focused culture, improving retention.
Workplace Wellbeing & Mental Health
- Adobe – Global Wellbeing Days, mental health programs, and financial support.
- Smokeball – wellness allowance, additional “Reboot Days”.
- 4 Pines Brewing Company – Flexible work schedules, mental health subsidies.
The Future of Work: Making It Work for Women
The evidence is clear. Companies that prioritise flexible work, equitable leave policies, mental health, and career development create environments where women can succeed and stay.
Yet, the gap between the Best and Typical workplaces remains stark, showing that many organisations are still failing to meet women’s evolving needs in the workforce.
As the workplace continues to evolve, businesses that fail to invest in gender equity and workplace wellbeing risk losing top female talent to companies that do.
Get more insights
Want to learn more? Read our report on how the Australian Best Workplaces for Women® break down barriers, champion pay transparency, and create workplaces where women truly thrive: https://greatplacetowork.com.au/lessons-from-the-best-workplaces-for-women-report/
