Workplace culture and pay equity survey results
Media release October 2009
Workplace discrimination hasn't changed and can't change
Australian women state loudly and clearly that there has been little change in their experience of workplace discrimination in Australia in a recent survey on workplace culture and pay equity conducted by 2020women. They also say that change is unlikely to occur.
In 2009, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, full time adult ordinary time earnings for women were 83% of men's earnings. This is back to where we were in 1989. 51% of respondents to the survey reported being paid less than a male in a similar job in the same organisation.
"There is a myth that there is equality and everyone thinks that battle is won, so limited resources are placed into this issue."
"There seems to be a view that the problem of undervaluing women's work has been ‘fixed' and an assumption that everyone is in a position to choose their own employment outcomes."
These and other comments made by survey respondents support existing evidence that women are doing poorly in pay negotiations at work and have little hope that workplace discrimination will disappear soon.
"...assertive women are still seen as intimidating where their male counterparts are ‘focused' or ‘professional'
"Women ask for what they think they are worth. Men ask for what they think they can get."
"Our latest online survey has shown there is a long way to go before we have equality for women in Australia workplaces." said Jenni Colwill, 2020women's spokeswoman. "We welcome the government's current review of the legislation that underpins equal opportunities at work and of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, but fear that the level of change that is needed will not be achieved through one bill, or through one piece of legislation."
"Government should be developing responsible legislation to protect women and pursue a substantive equality agenda in Australian workplaces. This should include sex disaggregated data, gender auditing and evaluations of government programs and services, and education programs aimed at preventing rigid gender stereotyping in schools and in the media."
"Our surveys show that Australian women expect government to play a strong role in setting the framework for equal opportunities at work."
In the survey, respondents nominated equal numbers of men and women in senior roles, access to information about pay levels and flexible arrangements for staff with caring responsibilities as the three best ways of improving equal employment opportunities for women. Only 21% of respondents identified they currently have equal numbers of men and women in senior roles, and 67% said they have access to information about pay levels.
2020women is a women's organisation that aims to empower women through practical means that include sharing their stories and giving them the opportunity to voice their opinions on issues that affect them. Full survey results are available on 2020women.org.