Gen F more vital at work than Gen Y
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| Ignore Gen F at your peril. Pic by: Getty Images |
You've heard of Generation X and the notorious Gen Y, now make way for Generation F.
Generation F comprises 45 per cent of the working population making them far more important to employers and the economy as a whole than the once vigorously courted Gen Ys.
Gen F has been defined by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency as working women aged between 16 and 64.
EOWA director Anna McPhee warns employers to ignore Gen F at their peril, describing them as ambitious, hardworking and looking for challenge despite remaining largely "overlooked, under-used and untapped".
Ms McPhee says many employers are failing to deliver to women on key fronts including promotion pathways, workplace flexibility and training and development.
EOWA's Generation F campaign, sponsored by recruitment firm Hays, is based on a survey of more than 1600 men and women across Australia as well as qualitative academic research.
Key findings from the survey include:
- Nearly a quarter of the men and women surveyed believe women were not treated equally at work and 50 per cent of all those surveyed believe a "boys club" existed at their workplace.
- Nearly 40 per cent of women and 30 per cent of men believe men progress faster at their particular workplace. More than half of all those surveyed believe promotions were not always awarded on merit.
- 45 per cent of women surveyed believed their employer did not support work/life balance and 42 per cent said they did not have access to flexible work conditions.
- More than 60 per cent of female respondents want their current employer to improve the provision of lieu time and flexible rostering.
- When asked what motivates women to leave their jobs, two of the five most common reasons were "difficulty in progressing" and "lack of clear career development." Higher salary motivated more than 16 per cent of women to leave their last job.
- Nearly one in 10 women left their last job as a result of bullying and harassment.
- 14 per cent of women plan to leave their employer to start a family while 20 per cent plan to leave to start their own business.
However, 80 per cent of those surveyed also look for "job security, supportive bosses, good relationships with colleagues, job satisfaction and the opportunity to work to their full ability" to be very important.
Learning and development, access to new experiences and challenges, promotion and progression and career-pathing were also high priorities for both genders.
For women, an organisation's record of promoting and supporting women, flexible working conditions, having a large number of women in senior roles, paid maternity leave and a job that can be done without long hours or overtime, were also important items when shopping for a new job.
Female respondents with children said they would work more hours if they had access to better childcare arrangements.
Tips for business
The EOWA provides a list of tips for employers including urging them to assess new roles - including senior roles - to see if they can be done part time or on a job share basis.
The agency also recommends employers:
- Actively seek gender diversity when recruiting including holding outside recruitment agencies accountable for delivering both male and female candidates of all ages and backgrounds.
- Audit the gender diversity of their existing workforce.
- Review internal policies on flexibility, promotion pathways and training and development.
- Analyse the number of women within senior executive ranks.
- Identify and address any gender pay gaps across all levels of the organisation.
CareerOne.com.au