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How employers can support women

What employers can do to ensure women can enter and thrive in the manufacturing sector.

Employers have a responsibility to ensure gender is not a barrier to employment, by creating workplaces that are safe and supportive for everyone to participate in.

Helping more women to join and thrive in the sector will also bring other benefits for businesses and the economy.

There are many things employers can do to support women’s participation and equity in Victoria’s manufacturing sector. This includes but is not limited to:

  • Inclusive and open-minded recruitment processes – for example focus on the skills needed in position ads, rather than the specific education or years of industry experiences to broaden the talent pool.
  • More flexible work options for people with caring responsibilities – such as offering flexible start and finish times and job-sharing arrangements.
  • Appropriate facilities and equipment for women – for example ensuring women and gender diverse people have access to appropriate bathrooms, sanitary bins, and personal protective equipment (PPE) (including maternity and culturally appropriate PPE).
  • Wraparound supports for women’s career progression – such as mentoring, leadership programs, networking opportunities, peer support, cultural leave and family violence leave.
  • Re-thinking what and who makes a good leader – for example taking a holistic view of what an effective leader is through prioritising leaders who foster a collaborative, empathetic and inclusive approach.
  • Additional and targeted support to overcome systemic barriers to participation and advancement – such as offering reproductive leave, providing a safe and private space for workers to pray, and ensuring workplaces are age-friendly and accessible for women with disabilities.

Resources, toolkits and templates

Employer obligations

Supporting gender equality in the workplace

Spotlight on Victorian Government action

Pay Equality Toolkit

The Pay Equality Toolkit is a set of resources for small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Victoria to help them achieve equal pay.

The toolkit includes:

  • information on equal pay concepts
  • a progress self-assessment tool, the Pay Equality Compass
  • templates and guidance for creating things like audits and action plans.

The Compass helps SMEs assess strengths and opportunities in their business practices. It also identifies which tools they should use to meet their goals around equal pay. Tools include:

  • a sample equal pay policy
  • a model for handling complaints
  • advice on how to conduct a gender pay audit
  • a capability matrix to help businesses understand the skills each role needs
  • other workbooks and templates for SMEs to tailor and use.

Leading practice examples

Updated