Women in business

Telstra’s NSW Business Women’s Awards finalists have been announced, showing the amazing things NSW business women are capable of the same day it was announced that the gender pay gap is widening in Australia.

Gender equality in the workplace is even further off in 2010 than in 2009, with the wage gap widening over the last 12 months and a new study showing Australians are largely pessimistic about women ever receiving equal pay.

Women are the losers in the 2010 Federal election, with a ‘sharp drop’ in the number of women elected to the House of Representatives according to Claire Braund, Executive Director Women on Boards.

You may have the view that there is no glass ceiling and being female won’t hold you back. But you can’t argue with the statistics. So, how can we change things?

There are almost no women sitting in executive boardrooms across Australia. Although the ASX recently announced plans to force companies to set targets for gender diversity, it seems Australian women are hitting their head on the glass ceiling more than ever before.

The recent resignation of David Jones CEO Mark McInnes over sexual harassment claims has brought the subject back into the spotlight. But is the sexual harassment of women by men really a big problem in Australian workplaces? Margot Cairnes certainly thinks so.

The Federal Government’s Paid Parental Leave bill that passed the Senate yesterday has received mostly bipartisan support, as well as its fair share of criticism.

While the Federal Government’s Paid Parental Leave scheme passing through the Senate yesterday marked a historic day for women in Australia, critics say the Paid Parental Scheme doesn’t go far enough.

Kevin Rudd’s Paid Parental Leave bill passed the Senate yesterday, bringing 18 weeks paid maternity leave to mothers beginning January 1st next year.

Australian women in all business sectors are urged to nominate now for the 2010 Telstra Business Women’s Awards, with nominations closing on Monday 21st June.

The Australian Services Union has organised protests around Australia today with thousands expected to rally in support of equal pay for women.

Connect2Mums AusMumpreneur Catherine Oehlman is still basking in the glory of winning the award last year and encourages all Australian businesses to nominate for the awards – and not just mums in business.

Women business operators are more positive about their prospects heading into 2011 and more likely to be aiming for significant business growth than their male counterparts, according to the latest Sensis Business Index released yesterday.

Recent surveys of Australian businesses show that as many as 20 per cent of companies have female founders with another 13 per cent officially listed as owners.

Last year wasn’t all doom and gloom. Some plucky businesswomen battled through the GFC and are now looking forward to a great 2010.

Australian fashion stationery label kikki.K has been nominated for the Retail Innovation award in the World Retail Awards, to be held in Germany in April. Nominated by the Worth Global Style Network (WGSN), the fashion and style industry’s leading resource for trend analysis and forecasting, kikki.K has the personal backing of WGSN’s managing director Asia […]