Take action

Employers that take action to improve workplace gender equality are often more profitable and productive. The policies and strategies they implement help to improve recruitment, retention and reputation. 

This page contains tools, guides and case studies to help you take action to improve workplace gender equality in your business. Scroll down to browse all the areas where you can make a difference. Or use the left-hand column to jump straight to the section you need.

Gender Equality Strategy

WGEA's gender equality strategy tools and guides can help you to determine where to focus your efforts as you plan policies and strategies to improving workplace gender equality. 

This comprehensive employer guide offers a framework to help you prioritise evidence-based actions to improve gender equality.

The Action Planning Tool helps employers who report to WGEA identify actions they can take to improve gender equality in their workplace.

Make a business case for promoting gender equality in your workplace.

Use WGEA’s GEI Policy and Strategy Guides to help you write policies and/or strategies for the 6 Gender Equality Indicators.

WGEA's gender strategy guide shows you how to analyse, design, implement and review changes that will improve workplace gender equality. 

WGEA's Gender Equality diagnostic tool will help you pinpoint equality gaps in your organisation. 

This guide provides context, practical insights, and questions for boards and directors.

Employer gender pay gaps

Keen to take action to reduce your gender pay gap? The first step you need to take is to measure it so you can understand what's causing it. These tools and guides will set you up for success. 

Person viewing data

The WGEA Gender Pay Gap Analysis Guide helps employers to plan and execute a pay and composition analysis in order to identify the drivers of their gender pay gap.

Man at desk with coin pile and woman at desk with coin pile

WGEA has a series of live masterclasses and live learning events to guide employers to deepen understanding of workplace gender equality take action to narrow organisations’ gender pay gaps.

 

Employer Statement Guide Download now

Employers have the opportunity to provide a Statement that gives context to their gender pay gap results when WGEA publishes employer gender pay gaps in early 2024.

calculator, maths problems and coins

Find out how WGEA calculates and presents its employer gender pay gap data

woman sitting on blocks with a clock

Gender pay gaps can still occur when wages are set by awards and agreements. Find out why this happens, how you can find the causes and how you can take action to address them. 

men and women standing on piles of coins

WGEA's 3-step pay equity guide will help small businesses address pay equity issues.

Workforce composition

Workforce composition includes participation rates of employees in full-time, part-time, and casual work as well as the proportion of women and men in leadership roles and salary ranges. Employers can address issues around recruitment and promotion to improve gender equality. 

Use this guide to help identify and remove gender bias from interviews, selection criteria, employee feedback and 'merit' promotion. 

 

Increasing the number of women in leadership reduces the gender pay gap, improves profitability and productivity. 

Research shows women face a backlash negotiating salary and men face a backlash for negotiating flexible work. 

Need help to prove that gender bias in recruitment and promotion exists? This page runs through all the research and studies.

Evidence-based insights from Australian companies on how to dismantle barriers to women's participation at senior levels. 

Find out the difference between mentoring and sponsorship and how you can apply these strategies to improve gender equality. 

Flexible work

Flexible work can take many forms including reduced hours, job-sharing, working from home, compressed working weeks, unpaid leave and flexible hours. Find out how you can make flexible work benefit you and your employees equally. 

WGEA's flexible work guide details best practice for employers and includes a diagnostic tool to check how your organisation is performing. 

Calculate your organisation's flexibility score and find out how you can improve. 

WGEA's flexible work checklist helps employers support and maintain a quality flexible working environment.

WGEA has created this guide to help employers advance paid parental leave and flexibility arrangements in the workplace.

Parental leave and support for carers

Addressing gendered barriers to parental leave and support for carers can have a significant effect on workplace gender equality. 

Find out how supporting carers in your workplace can have positive impacts for your business. 

WGEA's parental leave hub has information on leading practice, case studies and guides for gender equitable approaches. 

How to build a business case, implement and review a parental leave policy. 

Men make up 42% of all parental leave taken at John Holland. Find out how, and why, they did it. 

How Stockland improved return to work rates by 20% and employee engagement by changing its parental leave policy. 

Employee consultation

Employers that consult employees on gender equality issues can ensure their policies will create meaningful change. 

Surveys, focus groups, workshops and committees are just some of the methods employers can use to consult employees. Find out the pros and cons of each in our guide to consulting employees on gender equality. 

Harm prevention

Employers have a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment and discrimination on the ground of sex in their workplace. Find out how you can take action today. 

Law guide

Using evidence to improve workplace sexual harassment prevention and response: The Employer Guide will help you meet your obligations under Positive Duty. 

people sitting at desks

How to tackle and eliminate these issues in the workplace.

hand holding white ribbon

Resources to help implement family violence policies and support.