Last month, we recognised the unique contributions of women in Australia and around the world on International Women’s Day (IWD). In continuing this focus, Indeed’s 2024 Promoting Women for Better Work Report sheds light on where progress has stalled and more effort is needed to address barriers women still face in our progress towards greater equity in society and the workplace.

What do women care about when it comes to work?  

According to Indeed’s report, women surveyed in eleven countries around the world share that pay, progression, work-life balance, and company culture are the most important factors in a job.

Understanding the nuances in each of these areas, employers can take meaningful steps to engage women, break down existing barriers in the workplace, and cultivate environments that foster inclusivity, equity, and opportunity for all.

1.  Adopt well-designed frameworks for career progression

Unsurprisingly, women are still facing barriers to achieving career progression. While the top perceived barrier from the 2024 Promoting Women for Better Work Report – sexism or unconscious bias in society (56%) – may take longer to address, there are several steps employers can take to promote women’s advancement within organisations.

Define clear pathways for advancement: Promotions are an important element of career progression, yet less than one-third of women (31%) are satisfied with promotion prospects in their current roles. Less than half (45%) believe their organisation is doing well in promoting women into senior leadership roles. Employers will benefit from structured strategies for proactive career planning and development that outline clear pathways for employees to advance to the next level.

Broaden career progression opportunities: Employers may like to widen the scope of what ‘career progression’ opportunities mean for team members. For some, it can mean promotion. But for others, it may relate to alternative avenues such as switching roles, learning new skills, or taking on new projects. With this in mind, employers may benefit from proactive career development strategies that include:

  • making new roles or projects more accessible for women to reach their professional goals
  • offering training and development pathways
  • offering ‘stretch’ projects for women to expand their skill sets,
  • providing opportunities for network development 
  • providing other non-linear career progression pathways. 

Offer training and development: Considering more than half of women globally (57%) agree that the opportunity for training and development is important when looking for a job, promoting these as benefits can put you a step ahead of the competition.

2. Close the gender pay gap through pay transparency

On a positive note, recent findings from the Australian Government’s PM&C reveal the gender pay gap currently sits at a record low of 12%. Even so, while Australia has one of the highest levels of tertiary-educated women, Australian women still earn less than men. Gender bias tends to flourish without clear, transparent systems about pay and compensation.

Women have a firm grasp on the value of their work and want fair compensation. According to Indeed’s report, more than half (56%) of those surveyed believe they are not paid enough in their current position, and a near equal amount (57%) state their overarching compensation package is insufficient.

Include salary ranges in job advertisements: More employers are responding to reduce pay discrepancies by implementing transparent, company-wide recruitment and policies when advertising career opportunities, and including salary or salary ranges in job advertisements. 86% of new jobs posted directly on Indeed include this information.

Review pay data and practices: Employers adopting best practice may like to consider WGEA’s and Fair Work Ombudsman’s gender pay equity recommendations. This includes, conducting regular remuneration reviews, comparing similar roles, considering differences, and whether this is related to gender.

As Jessica Jensen, Chief Marketing Officer at Indeed, shares: ‘I am encouraged to see organisations and jurisdictions taking the lead in pay transparency, and this progress will be critical to ensuring women get paid what they are due and can advance professionally’.

3. Offer flexibility to support work-life balance

Considering remuneration is a top priority, is pay transparency enough to attract key talent? In short, no. When looking for a job, 80% of women surveyed by Indeed emphasise the importance of work-life balance.

Taking into account that women do more hours of unpaid work and care, workplace cultures of overwork disadvantage women employees who have caring commitments, and can stigmatise part-time or flexible work. This also ties into negative career progression outcomes for women – with women citing in Indeed's Promoting Women for Better Work Report that caregiving responsibilities and maternity leave policies are other top barriers in this area (57% and 47% respectively). Most notably, these data points are higher for women in Australia than global averages.

Provide flexibility: It's clear women value flexibility in the workplace. Indeed's report data indicates nearly two-thirds (60%) share they would like to work from home in some form. The study also found they would like to work fewer hours; most women surveyed work at least 31 hours per week.

Define work-life balance: Organisations can benefit from defining what work-life balance looks like for their specific roles and consider tailoring working arrangements for employees to manage external commitments. This may include:

  • flexible start-finish times
  • compressed working weeks 
  • part-time opportunities
  • job-sharing opportunities
  • remote work.

Lori Aiken, Head of Talent Management at Indeed, states: ‘As a woman’s career and personal life evolves, she ideally wants to be part of an organisation that can be flexible with these changes. We should ensure to meet these women where they are in their lives. They want to be invested in, personally and professionally, without penalty or compromise. It’s incumbent upon an organisation to provide flexible paid time off, hybrid work, robust parental, caregiving, and family medical leaves’.

4. Develop a workplace culture focused on well-being and belonging

As many Australian employers recognise, inclusive workplace cultures are more likely to engage and retain key talent (and consequently, deliver positive financial and social rewards commonly associated with this ability).

Healthy workplaces are those where employees and leaders actively work together to create an environment that promotes and protects the health, safety, and well-being for all. They are those that prioritise employees’ sense of belonging, where people can bring their whole selves to work – 86% of women cite this as an important aspect of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB+) in the workplace.

Despite this, less than half (40%) of respondents report their organisation does not offer meaningful inclusion initiatives. Mental health challenges among women are also highly prevalent, with 45% feeling uncomfortable speaking to their manager about such concerns. These results indicate employers can do more through implementing DEIB+ initiatives, and activities that promote and support women’s mental health.

Implementing DEIB+ initiatives: Inclusion initiatives may include:

  • training on unconscious bias
  • appointing diversity and inclusion leaders and representatives
  • inspirational speaker events
  • mentorship programs
  • allyship programs.

Promoting mental health training: Employers may also like to consider implementing clear health and safety guidelines, creating employee assistance programs, providing mental health training, and making mental health resources more accessible for women. 

For Australian employers that believe in the value and power of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB+), now is the time to step up. Creating better outcomes for women in the workforce can create better outcomes for all. Let’s continue extending inclusion to the remarkable women who inspire us every day – our team members, leaders, business partners, customers, and supporters. By doing so, organisations will be well-placed to succeed, with talented employees who bring their unique perspectives to decision-making, drive innovation, and contribute to a more inclusive, equitable future – where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.