Preach to the Unconverted

I could have gone to an International Women's Day breakfast on Friday.  Why didn't I?  Because any of the speakers that morning would have been preaching to me what I already know ... that women are still not being treated equally, either at home or in the workplace. Sure, I could have learnt a few new stats, but no matter how you cut it, it's still the same root issues.

Organisations that buy tables at these International Women's Day functions should really have some sort of plan for who should attend. (Not run around/mass spam employees desperately trying to fill these seats).

Of course, anyone who wants to go should go, but, attending a breakfast is not going to narrow a nearly 20% pay gap.  Awareness is the first step. This is what the networking sessions should be used for. Those who are already converts, should be championing for changes back in their workplaces.

So, who should be tapped on the shoulder to attend?

1. Middle managers - those responsible for teams at the front line. It's your people who require work/life balance, who ask for pay rises, who negotiate salaries at time of appointment.
2. Self-proclaimed non-feminists or those who don't believe in a gender pay gap or flexible work.
3. People being counselled for discrimination.
4. The leadership or management team - lead by example.
5. The grads (graduates) fresh out of uni - the pay gap starts after year 1 in the workforce.

Business Dictating when to have a Family

You can tell a lot by an organisation by the perks and incentives it offers its employees. Only a few weeks ago, Virgin announced a very generous perk of unlimited leave*.

I heard today that both Apple and Facebook are adding to the ‘perks’ of working at their companies, the option to freeze women’s eggs.

Of course it is offensive when the choice of a woman (or a man) is taken away or even hinted at.   

However, it’s not the freezing part, that annoys me about this.  It’s the fact that organisations still don’t think about structuring their work in family friendly ways.

Giving women the option (and even hinting) to defer having a family is a band aid solution as opposed to acknowledging the structural issues.  What about the extra assistance parents need in order to work? Where is the childcare close to or at the office? How do you engage parents in business goings-on while on parental leave?

I guess it is cheaper to freeze their eggs than to restructure the business and culture.  

*I am sure there are T’s & C’s attached to this, however, I don’t know too much detail.

Source:

http://www.theguardian.com/money/us-money-blog/2014/oct/14/apple-facebook-pay-women-employees-freeze-eggs

Gone Too Far: Red Carpet Camera

I like looking at what the celebrities wear.  Glamorous, sparkly dresses, dresses I would only dream of wearing.  Gucci, Pucci, Dior and more.

All the celebrity reporters do it, however, today the team at E! took it a bit too far at the SAG awards. 30 seconds into the interview, the camera's that pan-down, focus on the dress, cutting out her head.   She then bends down (a-la, my face is up here, not down there) and tells off the camera man that nothing special is down there and if he does that to the men walking down the red carpet.

Who wore it best? Cate with a head? or Cate without her head? 

 

               

Now kudos to E! for publishing the story themselves, however, don't forget, its the person that really "wears" the dress or suite.  It's their smile, confidence and a certain je ne sais quoi.


Story from: 
http://au.eonline.com/news/501154/cate-blanchett-calls-out-e-s-red-carpet-glam-cam-at-2014-sag-awards-what-do-you-think-is-happening-down-there

http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2014/01/cate-blanchett-wins-the-sag-awards-2014-red-carpet---gif.html

Image from:
http://www.thequeenofstyle.com/quee/2014/01/go-ahead-copy-cate-blanchetts-sag-awards-hairstyle.html

The Super Paradox

Women, generally speaking, will be out of the workforce for a few years due to caring needs placed upon us from raising children and for looking after frail parents. Superannuation earnings could be short by $232,500 because of time out of the workforce.

Women who are generally the primary carers, are disadvantaged providing a service to society by not earning, let alone not having additional super contributions made^.

Women, on average, have a longer life expectancy than men. Retirement is at 65, however, with a women’s life expectancy at 83, we’re living on average 13 years without income, relying upon superannuation.

Considering, there isn’t enough super accrued for women, there will be a strain put on the demand for the government funded pension.

Demands on the pension also strain our health care system as pensioners cannot afford private health insurance.

Solution, women will have to work well past the retirement age.

However, who will hire an employee over 60 and at their appropriate skill and qualification level?

References:

http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/a-million-in-super-wont-be-enough-20130923-2u978.html

http://www.theage.com.au/money/super-and-funds/women-treated-as-secondclass--citizens-20130702-2p8vw.html

^ - The Labor government under Gillard introduces a ‘Low Income Superannuation Contribution’ for people earning up to $37,000/year.

http://ministers.treasury.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2013/045.htm&pageID=003&min=brs&Year=&DocType=0

Work 2.0

The concept of 'work' and the way our workplaces function is a construct invented by males.  Women initially joined the workforce and started paid work as a result of most males leaving to go to war.  It was hoped that the women could 'fill in' until the men came back.  When the men came back, a slight concession was made for women to be able to enter paid work until they were married. It wasn't till 1950's and 60's that women were embarking on a career for themselves.

Jumping forward to present day 2013, there is a push to have greater representation of women in organisations; on board of directors, in senior management and in typically male dominated industries such as engineering and transport.  The diversity agenda (in Australia) is firmly being pushed.

Knowing that women have only been active in the labour force for over 50 years and that women still experience a 17.5% inequality of pay, can women really be given a fair go in an environment that has been typically male dominated and designed?

What if we turned things up-side-down? What would 'work' and our 'workplaces' look like if we could re-do it?  What if it were up to women to redesign the way work would work?

Over the last few weeks I've given this a bit of thought.  Here are some of my ideas.

• Joint or job sharing CEOs (leading by example is the best way to make it seen as a norm)
• Fully decked out HUB offices opening up across the city (instead of just in CBD, Sydney has a number of areas where these could open)
• Flexible work arrangements for ALL employees  
• Extend school hours till 4pm and provide less homework (the hour in school makes up for the hour doing homework but also provides parents more time at work)
• Additional sick leave days provided to those over 50 (government funded)
• Typically female dominated professions are paid much higher, entice more males into those industries
• Weed out the idea of 'gender based professions' and what constitutes gender based activities. Young boys and girls should grow up equally wanting to be nurses, teachers, researchers as well as accountants and electricians.
• Bonus not tied (or completely tied) to individual performance but to the organisations performance
• Rewrite job descriptions - take out the fluff, make it easier to understand and also make it easier to work out; part time and job sharing programs
• Having suits (and ties for men) as dress code
• 24/7 access to offices/work spaces/Hubs
• Superannuation paid for all types of leave (including; parental and long service)
• 24/7 childcare facilities
• Childcare facilities are available in proportion to where employees are located
• Improved 2-way loyalty between employers and employees
• Centralised services (I.E. procurement, admin, payroll, tax, professional development advisers) for small to medium sized businesses.  No one wants to mitigate red tape when they should be growing their business
• Laptops not desktops, greater utilisation of software, social media, video conference and communication tools.
• Proper job-for person program for skilled migrants/people on 457 visas.  No point in them coming here if there is no job directly available to them.

Will some of these become a reality with the implementation of the National Broadband Network? Through greater numbers of women on boards and government? Technology such as Google Glass going mainstream? Who know what will happen, but keep watching, it's going to be well beyond the offices and cubicles we know!


References: 
1. http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/editor-s-agenda/re-imagine-work-could-you-make-it-better-work-for-you/201306072285?utm_source=Women%27s+Agenda+List&utm_campaign=04ac0fd79b-Mon+03%2F06%2F2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f3750bae8d-04ac0fd79b-30603413
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_workforce
3. http://www.hcamag.com/hr-news/looking-for-the-ideal-worker-time-to-wakeup-177367.aspx
4. http://www.womensagenda.com.au/talking-about/top-stories/the-cost-of-being-female-64-extra-days-at-work/201309022823#.Uih1pByUlpc.twitter

Card Games

Someone call rummy!

Everyday we hear from the government, opposition, minority parties and the media that the "race card", "gender card" or the "tax card" are being played - I'm just waiting on someone to call full house.

Why can't issues be brought up? Why stay silent? Why is it that it is generally areas that we haven't got right that people accuse others of playing 'that card'?  "Discussing gender issues isn't playing the 'gender card', like how discussing tax isn't playing a 'tax card'. These are actual issues, bros." (J.Alice)

We currently have gender inequality, not just here but around the world. Pay disparity, access to education, reproductive rights.
We currently have a tax system that allows those super wealthy to squirrel away and hire accountants who know the loopholes. We haven't implemented all of Ken Henry's tax recommendations.
We currently have cultural and religious intolerance.  With our first Australians, our newest Australians and second and third generation Australians.  Injustice, intolerance and vilification.  All based on where we originated from, what we look like and insulting them by not really knowing them.

I want these cards played!  I don't want these issues trivialised with an eye roll. These are the issues affecting us daily. We will be a better country if we can discuss this in a mature way. 




References:

Tweet from: Jessica Alice, @jessica_alice on 11/06/2013

Image from: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRyLtOWPOo3iuuGDmqifgg4KoumqKdZUsKfx1pQcaER9Dpk2y-x