More part-time bosses and co-CEOs could keep women in leadership and narrow Australia’s pay gap
News Source
•Mon, 12 Oct 2026 14:01:56 GMT
📰 What Happened
New research from Australia's Workplace Gender Equality Agency and Curtin University shows women are reaching senior jobs but leaving them more often than men. That widens the pay gap and keeps women out of high-paying roles. The study looked at data covering 5.4 million workers.
In 2024-25, full-time women were promoted slightly more often than men. But men were a little more likely to be promoted into management. And women who reached management resigned more often, at 13.8% compared with 12% for men.
The agency suggests part-time boss roles and sharing a chief executive job between two people could help women stay. At the moment, women hold only about one in five board chair or CEO jobs at Australian companies.
🔍 The Backstory
WGEA is the federal agency that tracks equality at work. It says women earn about $0.79 for every $1 a man earns, on average. It warned that resistance to gender equality is growing.
Experts say caring duties drive much of the gap. Women often take on more care for children or ageing parents. When jobs offer no flexible or part-time option, many step down or leave instead of staying on the leadership path.
Australia has debated this gap for decades. Reports keep finding that flexible working and paid parental leave help, but progress stays slow.
🎯 Why It Matters
Pay gaps shape what families can afford. Making senior jobs flexible could keep more women in leadership and slowly close the earnings gap that many workers feel in their pay packets.
New research from Australia's Workplace Gender Equality Agency and Curtin University shows women are reaching senior jobs but leaving them more often than men. That widens the pay gap and keeps women out of high-paying roles. The study looked at data covering 5.4 million workers.
In 2024-25, full-time women were promoted slightly more often than men. But men were a little more likely to be promoted into management. And women who reached management resigned more often, at 13.8% compared with 12% for men.
The agency suggests part-time boss roles and sharing a chief executive job between two people could help women stay. At the moment, women hold only about one in five board chair or CEO jobs at Australian companies.
WGEA is the federal agency that tracks equality at work. It says women earn about $0.79 for every $1 a man earns, on average. It warned that resistance to gender equality is growing.
Experts say caring duties drive much of the gap. Women often take on more care for children or ageing parents. When jobs offer no flexible or part-time option, many step down or leave instead of staying on the leadership path.
Australia has debated this gap for decades. Reports keep finding that flexible working and paid parental leave help, but progress stays slow.
Pay gaps shape what families can afford. Making senior jobs flexible could keep more women in leadership and slowly close the earnings gap that many workers feel in their pay packets.