Where aspiring female leaders should work

Where aspiring female leaders should work: Survey names the top industries for gender diversity policies

If you’re a woman and want to advance your career, it may surprise you to know that the mining and resources industry is second only to the public and not-for-profit sector for putting gender diversity policies in place, according to research by recruiting experts Hays.

In the survey of almost 6,000 people across all industries, the public and not-for-profit sector was named by 50 per cent of its workers as having formal gender diversity policies and practices in place. This was followed by resources and mining (37 per cent) and financial services (36 per cent). At the other end of the scale, just 17 per cent of employers in the advertising/media industry have formal gender diversity policies and practices in place.

Across all industries, 49 per cent of the entire survey pool said their organisation does not have a gender diversity policy in place, and a further 19 per cent were unsure. Alarmingly, even when policies are in place one in five respondents (19 per cent) say they are not adhered to “at all”.

In positive news, the retail industry was voted by its employees as most likely to adhere to these policies (89 per cent of retail employees said their organisation adheres to their policies “well” or “fairly well”). This was followed by advertising/media (88 per cent), transport/distribution (85 per cent) and professional services (82 per cent).

Interestingly, while the resources and mining industry came in second in terms of having gender diversity policies in place, it was near the bottom in terms of adhering to them. 22 per cent of employees working in this industry say formal gender diversity policies are not adhered to at all well.

“The resources and mining sector has done a lot in terms of developing policies and practices that will enable it to attract and retain talented female employees,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand. “But it seems the industry is failing at a practical level to implement these policies. Managers on the ground need to action these policies if they are to have any real impact.

“Employers should take notice of the gender diversity leaders in their industry because there are real benefits to be gained from ensuring your female talent is free from inequality and can progress equally to their male counterparts. Of course their own career benefits, but the organisations they work for also benefit from having the best person in the best job – regardless of gender – and retaining them by rewarding both genders equally.”

For more, please see social.hays.com/diversity.

Hays surveyed 5,949 people across 31 countries during December 2014 and January 2015.

Where relevant these results have been weighted for a gender value of 1:1.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

- Ends -

© Scoop Media