Women are left navigating a system not designed with them in mind

This year’s International Women’s Day global theme is “Give to gain”. Here, women leaders tell HR Leader what workplaces must do moving forward to promote retention among women employees.

Generosity and collaboration are key tenets of the 2026 International Women’s Day (IWD) campaign, with emphasis on the power of reciprocity and support.

“When people, organisations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction; it’s intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise,” IWD’s website said.

“Whether through donations, knowledge, resources, infrastructure, visibility, advocacy, education, training, mentoring, or time, contributing to women’s advancement helps create a more supportive and interconnected world.”

What is central to women’s career decisions?

xAmplify chief people officer Nicole Ivory (pictured, left) said tech employers must look beyond hiring targets and examine what is happening in the day-to-day, such as who is seeking progression, where there are opportunities to grow, and what is being done to enable these opportunities at all levels of the organisation.

“In many male-dominated sectors, the gap isn’t entry but advancement, and those everyday decisions ultimately shape whether women move into senior technical and leadership roles,” Ivory said.

International Workplace Group Australia (IWG) SVP and country manager Lisia Roth (pictured, right) noted that hybrid working has become central to women’s career decisions.

“Flexibility isn’t just influencing where women work; it’s shaping whether they stay, progress and step into leadership,” Roth said.

Ivory cited the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) latest data (for 2024–25), which shows that structural gaps still exist, particularly in higher-paid and senior roles.

The data also revealed that women are behind in remuneration, with men being 1.8 times more likely to be employed in the highest-earning quartile.

“Transparency like this matters because it pushes leaders to move beyond intention and look into how pay, promotion, and opportunity decisions are made.”

“In tech especially, historical gender imbalance means women can still feel like they are navigating systems that weren’t designed with them in mind.”

“These can be subtle actions, such as whose ideas are heard in meetings, who is considered ‘ready’ for leadership, or who is given what tasks and responsibilities. In some environments, this may still be a real challenge faced by many women today.”

The future depends on choices made today

Ivory stressed that diverse teams make better decisions, build products and deliver services that reflect users’ needs, and introduce different perspectives to problem solving. “Organisations that have gender equality front of mind are also more likely to retain talent in a highly competitive tech labour market,” she said.

“Attracting and retaining women starts with creating environments where they can see a clear future through transparent career pathways and leaders who actively support women stepping into technical and leadership roles. When workplaces consistently invest in fair systems and day-to-day inclusion, women stay, grow, and lead the sector.”

As previously reported on by HR Leader, International Workplace Group (IWG) research reveals the wide-ranging benefits that women experience when provided with flexible working environments.

Roth stressed that when businesses offer hybrid models that combine autonomy with access to local professional workspaces, they create environments where women can grow without burning out.

“In return, organisations gain loyalty, continuity, and a stronger future leadership pipeline. At its heart, this research shows that hybrid working gives women the room to thrive,” Roth said.

“The future for women in the workforce will depend on the choices organisations make today. This year’s theme, ‘Give to gain’, is a reminder that when employers invest in equity, from fair pay to inclusive leadership, they don’t just support women, they strengthen their entire organisation.”

WGEA noted that workplaces will be mandated to set three gender equality targets between 1 April and 31 May 2026, while Commonwealth public sector employers have theirs due from 1 September to 31 October 2026 under the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2025.