The Gender Pay Gap, women's workforce participation, women's education, employment and enterprise and women's leadership will all be a focus for HR leaders
Under Scott Morrison’s government women’s workforce participation has reached its highest level on record. 1.1 million more women are in work today than were in 2013 and the budget has reaffirmed this governments commitment to further strengthen women’s economic security.
The Gender Pay Gap, women’s workforce participation, women’s education, employment and enterprise and women’s leadership will all be a focus for HR leaders this year as the budget reveals measures it will take in all these areas.
The current Gender Pay Gap is 13.8% down from 17.2% in 2013. The government has provided $6 million in funding for the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, the statutory government agency charged with promoting and improving gender equality in Australian workplaces.
Women’s workforce participation is higher than ever before but there’s still work to be done says the government. $19.4 million dollars will be provided through the Community Childcare Fund to build childcare services in regional areas. $1.4 million will go into the Family Friendly Workplaces initiative being expanded into a further 500 workplaces. $346 million will go into introducing the Enhanced Paid Parental Leave Scheme. The changes to the scheme allow more flexibility to eligible families.
This budget builds on significant investments already made to encourage more women to take up roles in male dominated occupations. New initiatives include work to boost the number of women in trades, manufacturing and digitally skilled roles.
The word on the street is more women in leadership roles is good for the business and the economy and the government agrees. They’re committing 9.4 million dollars over 5 years to support women at critical stages in their career into leadership positions through the Future Women’s Job Academy and Supporting Gender Balanced Boards initiatives.
