New WGEA report tracks a decade of progress, informs steps for gender equality
-- WGEA Progress Report measures the impact of 10 years of employer work to close the gender pay gap --
-- Gender pay gap reduced to 21.8%, more women in leadership in every industry, renewed employer action to address inequality but entrenched gender segregation remains –
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) biennial Progress Report has been tabled by Minister for Women, Senator the Hon. Katy Gallagher in Parliament today.
The Report looks at employer progress against 6 key measures of workplace gender equality, known as gender equality indicators (GEIs), across the past 2 years. It also shows long-term changes in Australian private sector workplaces since results were first collected in 2014.
WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge said the results of a decade of employer reporting to WGEA shows significant progress can be achieved from long-term, deliberate action.
“A decade of employer reporting to WGEA has created a world-leading dataset. It shows us where employers and industries are making improvements that have contributed to the meaningful reduction in Australia’s gender pay gap and a more gender equal experience at work,” Ms Wooldridge said.
“In that time, there’s been significant progress on key metrics, including large increases in the proportion of women managers, senior executives and directors.
“Employers have substantially developed and enhanced their policies to support equal remuneration, paid parental leave, flexible working arrangements and support to employees experiencing family and domestic violence. Consultation with employees is now widespread.
“The outlook is positive, but change is frustratingly slow.
“Gender segregation of industries and occupations is a key driver of the gender pay gap. The results show a stubborn lack of progress across all industries. Addressing it is the next critical frontier to improving gender equality and closing the gender pay gap.”
Recent legislative reforms aim to accelerate gender equality improvements in Australia workplaces.
This includes using public transparency to motivate action with the publication of individual employer’s gender pay gaps. Commencing next year, to help drive increased attention in the areas that need it most, large employers need to select and meet Gender Equality Targets in a 3-year period.
“Employer reporting to WGEA has been a transformational mechanism to capture the data and utilise it to mobilise employers to identify problem areas and address them,” Ms Wooldridge said.
“WGEA will continue to support employers to take thoughtful, considered, evidence-informed action to create workplaces that are equal, fair and safe for their employees.”
Key WGEA results
In the last 10 years:
- an additional 1.6 million employees covered by WGEA gender equality reporting, up to 5.5 million Australians
- decrease in total remuneration gender pay gap of 7.5 percentage points (pp) from 28.6%, to 21.1%
- Boards with no women down 11pp, but still 26% have no women
- women are 42% of managers, up from 36%, and gender pay gap for managers down 6.9pp to 22.8%
- proportion of the workforce in gender-dominated industries down 8pp to 51%, but still the majority
- proportion of primary carers leave taken by men up 5pp in last 2 years to 17%
- employers who have done a gender pay gap analysis up from 24% to 68%
- comprehensive strategies for gender equality in place, with 20pp to 55pp increases (largest improvement in family and domestic violence polices).
Download a PDF version of the release
Media contact: Emma Manser, Media & Communications Manager│M 0437 225 386│E emma.manser@wgea.gov.au
About the Agency: The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) is an Australian Government statutory agency charged with promoting and improving gender equality in Australian workplaces. Explore the gender equality data for your industry or employer on WGEA’s Data Explorer at www.wgea.gov.au