In the pursuit of gender equity, this year’s International Women’s Day resonates with a call to “Inspire Inclusion,” urging individuals to understand and value women’s inclusion to forge. Great Place To Work remains focused on our commitment to acknowledging and spotlighting organisations that intentionally cultivate an equitable environment for women in the workplace.
The Best Workplaces for Women™ List 2023 organisations are a testament to the strides taken in fostering equity, ensuring that women are not only represented and valued but also thrive in the workplace. It stands as both a celebration of achievements and an inspiration for organisations to galvanize further advancements in the realm of gender equality. The organisations listed as the Best Workplaces for Women™ in Australia have adopted multifaceted strategies to foster gender equity and inclusivity in their workplaces.
These companies make gender balance a priority by setting targets for gender-balanced representation at all levels, with most striving for 50% female representation within management teams and keeps a close eye on attrition rates among women.
Among the 50 companies listed have:
- Over 60% have achieved the milestone of having more than 50% of women in their workforce; some with impressive 75%+ representation of women, attributed to the unique characteristics of their industries
- Achieved gender balance at all levels of management with nearly half (23 out of 50), have 50% or more women in all levels of management
- 44 companies (88% of the List) have women serving in executive leadership positions
- Within those, 42% (18 companies) have achieved gender parity with more of the executive positions being held by women
- Gender Pay Parity milestones that are endorsed by from external agencies such as the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)
A breakdown of the key strategies and practical tips to inspire others include:
Fair and Inclusive Hiring Practices
- Make gender-neutral job descriptions and advertisements a standard base line to encourage and attract a diverse talent pool and promoting equitable opportunities for women.
- Selection panel consist of a minimum one female to consider a different perspective and reduce biases in the hiring process.
Promotion Bias Elimination
- Eliminate promotion bias with fair and transparent promotion criteria based on merit.
- Establish and communicate clear career pathways, so that all employees are aware of skills and competencies required to progress within the company.
- Develop female leaders with integrated Women in Leadership (WIL) programs that support women’s progress as well conversion into leadership roles.
Closing the Gender Pay Gap
- Conduct annual or bi-annual salary benchmarking with industry partners, and internal assessments across roles and genders.
- Engage in transparent discussions with staff and management to address disparities.
- Formalise pay equity reporting with agencies such as Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) and use available resources and tools to understand and make impactful adjustments.
- Aim to be recognised as Pay Equity Ambassadors to showcase efforts in closing the gender pay gap.
Value Women’s Experience
- Sponsor voluntary, employee-led Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to provide a platform for women to share experiences, drive equality, and promote fair opportunities for success.
- Call on women to lead and participate in women’s networking events and support programs to enhance professional development and career advancement options for women.
Addressing Gender-Based Domestic Violence
- Offer support beyond government-mandate for victims of gender-based domestic violence, such as full-pay extended leave, counselling, and temporary emergency housing.
- Host education and awareness sessions for all staff to better understand the challenges faced by victims and address Gender-Based Domestic Violence
These strategies and takeaways aim to inspire companies to follow in the footsteps of Best Workplaces for Women™ and create inclusive and equitable environments where female employees feel a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
For a company to be recognised as a Best Workplace for Women™, a minimum of 100 employees with at least 50 women is required. Evaluation is based on female representation in the workforce, management, and workplace experience through the Trust Index survey.
