Gender (in)equality in Australia: good intentions and unintended consequences

Abstract

Gender inequality is a complex problem with multiple interrelated indicators (e.g. underrepresentation of women in leadership roles, gender pay gaps). Our academic community has been following a three-step 'script' to motivate organisations to act on gender inequality: we document the inequality, we build a business case for equality, and we advocate solutions to correct inequality. But too often, our well-meant messages have negative consequences. We may be inadvertently presenting gender inequality as an intractable problem and creating unrealistic expectations among stakeholders about gender equality benefits and gender inequality solutions. As stakeholders become impatient with Australia's slow progress toward gender equality, we may need to reconsider this strategy. Academic researchers may be more successful change agents if we are more deliberate about highlighting the interconnections among gender inequality indicators, identifying the organisational value of gender equality beyond financial performance, and advocating small-scale structural changes alongside large-scale interventions.

Perceived competence overrides gender bias: gender roles, affective trust and leader effectiveness

“…Finally, organizations may take employment practices signaling high competence of female leaders. For example, paying female leaders equally with male leaders would be an effective way to reduce gender bias in leadership as assigned rewards have been proved be significant indictors of inferred competence (Foschi, 2000; Kulik, 2022).…”

What determines the presence of women on corporate boards? Empirical evidence from emerging markets

“…Therefore, regulatory pressures motivate organizations to manage greater gender equality (Kulik, 2022;Nguyen et al, 2020). In their study of labour laws, Winkler (2022) found that countries with greater family policies have higher rates of female labour participation.…”

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources: what has been achieved and what more can be done

“…Yet, gender disparities 'remain among the most persistent forms of inequality across all countries', according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP 2019). There remain considerable gender gaps in human capital development, utilisation and rewards, measured by gender pay gaps and career progress opportunities (see also Kulik 2021). Compared with North America and developed European countries, gender equality and diversity in workplaces in Asia have not been paid sufficient attention (Colella, Hebl and King 2017).…”

“…Women make up a substantial proportion of the workforce worldwide, but gender inequality commonly exists in developed and developing economies. Kulik (2021) evaluates the research scholarship on gender inequality, a complex problem with multiple interrelated indicators (e.g. under-representation of women in leadership roles, gender pay gaps).…”

“…under-representation of women in leadership roles, gender pay gaps). Kulik (2021) observes that the Australian academic community has been following a three-step 'script' to motivate organisations to act on gender inequality: we document the inequality, we build a business case for equality, and we advocate solutions to correct inequality. Such an approach, albeit well-intended, has negative consequences, as it inadvertently presents gender inequality as an intractable problem and creates unrealistic expectations among stakeholders about gender equality benefits and gender inequality solutions.…”