The Future of Women @ Work
Using the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) data, this report benchmarks Australian organisations and provides evidence-based policy advice to better integrate caregivers into employment.
Overview
The growth of women dominated industries, the demand for higher cognitive skills and the need for labour mobility indicate that policies to integrate caregivers into the labour market will play an important role in adapting to and maximising the developments of AI.
The failure of Australian corporations to fully incorporate carers into their workplaces is a major drain on productivity, human capital and profits. Today, 61% of Australian families have both partners in the labour market but only 37.3% of women work full-time. The attrition of female workers following childbirth is a major problem for corporations seeking to maintain top talent and maximise skill investment. Currently, the lack of effective caregiver policy means many women leave top positions, reduce work time or are dropping out completely when caregiving demands peak. The loss in mothers’ human capital to part-time work is a key untapped resource for the Australian economy. Equalising women’s economic position would boost GDP by 8.5%, adding $93 billion per year to the economy. Using the WGEA data, this report benchmarks Australian organisations and provides evidence-based policy advice to better integrate caregivers into employment.
Publications
Ruppanner, Leah and Squires, Sophie. The Future of Women @ Work. Report. The Policy Lab, 2020.