Why HR needs to embrace equity this International Women’s Day

Today’s International Women’s Day (IWD) is a timely reminder of the challenges women continue to face in the workplace – and it demonstrates how integral HR professionals are in helping break the bias.

The theme of this year’s IWD is #EmbraceEquity.

“Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA,” this year’s campaign message said.

“And it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality. The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.”

HR Leader has compiled a wrap-up below to highlight why HR and those in other decision-making roles should #EmbraceEquity.

The gender pay gap

An obvious one but arguably the one that sends the strongest message.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)’s latest figures on the gender pay gap demonstrate Australia is sitting at 13.3 per cent.

The gap means that for every $1 Australian men make on average, Australian women make 87¢.

On average, women working full-time earned a base salary of $1,653.60 per week, while men working full-time earned $1,907.10.

The figures do represent a drop from recent years, showing good signs; however, the road ahead still remains a long one. It’s estimated that the gap won’t fully close for another 26 years.

But all is not lost. Australian employers are in prime position to help close the gender pay gap – and have good reason to.

Data from WGEA shows organisations that have been awarded the Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation have recorded:

• Gender pay gaps of 17.4 per cent on average, which is 26 per cent lower than non-EOCGE certified employers
• More women in leadership positions: 37.2 per cent compared to 31 per cent
• Greater primary carer parental leave policy: 14.1 weeks compared to 11.2 weeks
• Male managers taking primary carer’s leave: 34 per cent compared to 18 per cent.

There is also a strong push coming from the government with the recent introduction of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023.

The bill aims to create transparency by highlighting gender pay gaps at businesses with 100 staff or more. The government hopes this will encourage employers to close the gap.

“Women have waited long enough for the pay gap to close — let’s not wait another quarter of a century. On average, women working full-time can expect to earn 14.1 per cent less than men per week in their pay packets,” said Minister for Women Katy Gallagher.

“The gender pay gap is also holding our economy back with $51.8 billion a year lost when it comes to women’s pay. On current projections, it will take another 26 years to close the gender pay gap. The bill will also reduce red tape for businesses making it easier to report.”

How employees view their safety at work

To coincide with International Women’s Day, strategic research company Opinium conducted a survey (commissioned by World Travel Protection) with over 2,000 people who travel for business at least once a year in the UK, Australia, the US, and Canada. 

The results paint a concerning picture of how women think of work travel in comparison to their male counterparts.

According to the findings, 71 per cent of women believe travelling for work as a woman is less safe than travelling as a man. In fact, more than one in 10 have experienced a negative incident, ranging from minor theft to assault.

As such, women are more likely to take measures to protect their safety during business travel.

Thirty-one per cent of those surveyed said they do not travel or go out on their own at night, compared to 18 per cent men, and almost half (46 per cent) always stay in close touch with family and friends so their whereabouts are known, compared to 36 per cent of men.

When asked about employer responsibilities, 19 per cent of women business travellers feel their organisation should act with women’s safety in mind when they are travelling alone, for example, ensuring that flights do not arrive late at night.

A further 36 per cent said they don’t like being directed to travel to countries where women’s rights aren’t protected, compared to 15 per cent of men.

When it comes to accommodation, one in five women would prefer to be put up in hotels that make provision for solo women travellers.

“This International Women’s Day, it’s important to note that, compared to men, women often have different safety considerations to think about when travelling for work,” said Kate Fitzpatrick, regional security director, EMEA, at World Travel Protection.

“The risk will generally increase in countries with less equality. It’s essential, therefore, that women have a full understanding of the cultural norms in their destinations, from what to wear to how they act, for example, perhaps avoiding alcohol in public. We often undertake specific risk assessments for women business travellers to make sure their safety and security is the highest priority.

“As well as safety considerations, women business travellers may face gender bias in some cultures where it’s not the norm to have women in senior roles. I’ve personally experienced sexism and pushback because of my gender. People are surprised to meet a woman director of security, and whether it is a police chief in South America or a site risk inspection in West Africa, I regularly have to detail my past work in security and government law enforcement to give me credibility, something which my men colleagues never have to do.”

Lack of representation 

Year-on-year, the lack of female representation in top roles is widely reported.

Despite the repeated messaging, research shows women still hold only 6 per cent of chief executive roles in the ASX 300. Meanwhile, a third of Australian boards still have no female directors, and only 15 per cent of chair positions are held by females.