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Read moreEmployment
Women and Employment
The Ministry is committed to improving the employment experiences of women in New Zealand. The Ministry believes that women should be able to balance their participation in employment with their other responsibilities (for example family and community) and that women should be encouraged to pursue employment in whatever occupation they choose.
Women’s participation in work, family, and community
The Ministry’s goal for women is that they have the opportunity to develop and use their skills and talents in ways that allow them to fully participate in paid employment, family and community.
The gender pay gap has hovered at around 12-13 percent for the past decade. The causes of this gap are complex and explained in part by the fact that women take more time out of the workforce (to care for children), tend to be concentrated in lower paid jobs, and are less likely to be in senior management roles.
New approaches to closing the gender pay gap
The Ministry believes new and innovative approaches are required to reduce the gender pay gap and its work programme is focused on addressing the factors that contribute to that ongoing pay gap. Enabling women who are in low paid caring roles to undertake training and improve their skills base, for example, is one way of improving the prospects of these women and moving them out of low paid work. This will be a focus for the Ministry over the next 2-3 years.
Analysing post-graduate income differences between men and women
Another focus is understanding what is driving the differences in salaries that emerge between female and male students within a year of graduating, and what can be done to reduce these differences which are potentially impacting on our economic productivity.
A study released by the Ministry in March 2010 showed there was a significant difference in average income between men and women with a degree after just one year in paid employment. For more information go to the Analysis of Graduate Income Data 2002-2007 by Broad Field of Study. Go to Different degrees to read the June 2010 Pānui article on the study.
Workplace flexibility
We are also looking at what more can be done to promote flexible work practices at all levels of an organisation so that women with a high level of skill and experience can be more widely used within the economy than many of them are being at present. Because women continue to provide more of the caring in our society, they are more likely to work part time and to take time out of the workforce, which can affect their job experience, career progression and income. Enabling both men and women to share in the care of children is likely to offer benefits to men, women and children.
As part of this work, the Ministry undertook case study research (please see below) into flexible work practices in the New Zealand accounting sector – chosen because of the serious skills and demographic challenges it faces.
The results of this, Workplace Flexibility in the Accounting Sector were released by the Minister of Women’s Affairs in June 2010. To see a copy of the Minister’s speech CLICK HERE.
Case Study: BDO Taranaki: A workplace flexibility success storySee the 3 minute video of workplace flexibility in action at BDO Taranaki www.eeotrust.org.nz/video/index.cfm?clip_id=861 Read an article on how staff at BDO Taranaki work when and where they want and also add value to the bottom line - www.eeotrust.org.nz/peoplepower/view_case.cfm?id=108 Flexible working practices, while not yet widely adopted in any systematic way, can work for accountants in New Zealand. BDO Taranaki provides evidence. BDO offers all staff flexible working on a ‘reason neutral’ basis. Flexibility may involve working shorter hours, working 40 hours outside standard office hours, working from home or working variable hours from week to week (but evening out at an agreed minimum number of hours). Flexibility is at the heart of the firm’s business model, and the firm enjoys the following bottom line benefits:
Over the past ten years this has averaged just 10.4 percent.
Despite including some years of the highest levels of skilled staff shortages in the industry, BDO’s recruitment costs have averaged only $284 per $100,000 of payroll cost over the past ten years.
John Robertson & Associates conduct the largest survey on employee engagement in New Zealand, measuring the degree to which employees think and act as if they 'own the business'. The benchmark for good practice is to have 35 percent of employees ‘fully engaged’. BDO Taranaki's results showed 53 percent of employees were fully engaged.
BDO’s client surveys show an advocacy rate of over 90 percent, i.e. its clients 'definitely agree that they would refer family and friends to BDO’.
BDO has participated in the University of Waikato Interfirm Comparison of Accountants Practices twice in the past ten years, most recently in 2009. On both occasions they ranked in the top ten results in the country and the highest outside the main centres.
Despite never having merged or acquired other firms over the years, BDO has been the strongest growing firm in the networks that it has been involved with. The following graph shows in 2009 dollars the firm’s growth in fees and profitability since 1993 when the firm first adopted flexible working practices. |
Occupational segregation
Women and men are concentrated in different industries and occupations, and some of the most common occupations for women are assigned low value and are relatively low-paid. The Ministry is committed to removing any institutional barriers women face that limit their education and workplace opportunities.
To reduce occupational segregation and lift incomes for women, the Ministry is working with Career Services on strategies to improve the information provided to young women in relation to non-traditional occupations. It will also work with emerging industries to identify any potential barriers that may restrict women’s participation in those industries.
Last updated 20 July 2010
