A leadership program that helps managers and teams to overcome the "intangible barrier" of unconscious bias is a fundamental component of National Australia Bank's gender-equity strategy, says its head of group diversity and inclusion Neil Cockroft.
Employers' commitment to gender equity is "heavier on rhetoric than action", but with the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner calling for 40 per cent of senior positions to be filled by women within five years, corporate Australia is "on notice", says AHRI national president Peter Wilson.
Workplace sexual-harassment policies could be subject to new scrutiny under upcoming equal opportunity legislation, according to lawyers from DLA Phillips Fox.
Understanding what is happening on the claimant's side will help employers make the right decisions when faced with a serious harassment complaint, says Harmers Workplace Lawyers chair, Michael Harmer.
Workplace policies in Australia are changing to support working mothers, but when it comes to managerial roles, expectations are not, says Macquarie University professor Anne Ross-Smith.
Attempts to build cultural awareness in the workplace should focus on "doing" rather than "knowing", says Indigenous research and development expert Bronwyn Lumby.
A recent survey of female scientists, engineers and managers has found workplace culture is compromising the effectiveness of HR policies, and preventing highly skilled workers from advancing their careers.
Managers that genuinely want women to succeed in their careers often hinder their progress without even realising it, says emberin CEO and gender diversity expert Maureen Frank.
Employers that don't offer part-time workers adequate support and career opportunities risk losing them to competitors that do, says Diversity Council Australia (DCA) acting research director Lisa Annese.
