From the Commissioner
Recently I attended the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) Employer of Choice for Women awards in Perth.
The five winning employers of women in WA were Alcoa, Bankwest, ConocoPhilips, Curtin University and the University of Western Australia.
These agencies spoke about their official policies and procedures which helped them gain recognition at the awards and ultimately retain women employees.
Policies such as a zero tolerance for sexual harassment, flexible work options, an environment where men and women work well together, personal development packages to help women progress their careers and interactive support networks for women.
These policies are commendable and worthy of recognition, particularly flexible work policies such as the one mentioned by ConoccoPhilips President Todd Creeger where they offer part time work options to men and women caring for families.
However there is often a gap between policies put in place and the general attitudes of staff.
Society still expects women to prioritise family over career, yet when they do this is often frowned upon by employers and coworkers.
It can be very intimidating for women to speak out against the behaviour of male colleagues even in support groups set up for that very purpose, and there is still a gender pay gap of 27 per cent in WA, which is above the national average of 18 per cent.
So while policies provide a vital guideline for a workplace, there needs to be a shift in attitude towards female staff from the top down to help achieve true equality in the workplace.
Yvonne Henderson
COMMISSIONER