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Although men and women are almost equally represented in Australia’s workforce, fewer than one in four employees work in a gender-balanced occupation.
According to The Conversation, progress has been slow: in 1990, 52% of men worked in occupations that were more than 80% male, and by 2025 that figure has only declined to 41%. For women, around 60% to 65% continue to work in female-dominated roles, a ratio largely unchanged since the mid-1990s.
This imbalance has real economic consequences. Nearly one-quarter of Australia’s gender pay gap is due to segregation across occupations and industries, with the largest gaps found in the most segregated jobs. Research also shows that businesses with greater gender diversity benefit from stronger innovation, a wider talent pool and more efficient recruitment.
Despite rising female education and workforce participation, segregation has proven resistant to change. Shifting it will require policy action, workplace culture improvements and changes to gender norms, such as greater uptake of parental leave. Without this, progress is likely to remain slow.
#accountant #womeninbusiness #genderequality
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