Gender Pay Gap Webinar, Sessions and Resources

The introduction of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and the establishment of Victoria’s first Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector has meant that the public sector, councils and universities (known as defined entities), now have a legal obligation to promote gender equality in their policies, programs and services and take action to achieving workplace gender equality. One component of this is to report against their gender pay gap.

Since the Act’s implementation, defined entities have been on a learning journey to understand and complete their first workplace gender audit, covering data from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. Organisations are still seeking to understand the factors influencing their gender pay gaps and determining how to address them.

Gender Pay Gap

WHISE has built the capacity of employers and stakeholders in the SMR to understand the gender pay gap. This initiative has included several key activities and approaches:

  1. In-depth evaluation and workshops: WHISE conducted thorough evaluations of the gender pay gaps at Bayside City Council and Court Services Victoria, providing detailed reports. Action planning workshops were held with executive leadership teams to discuss factors contributing to or mitigating their pay gaps. High-level strategies and leaderships’ roles in closing these gaps were also discussed.
  2. Guiding resource: WHISE developed a comprehensive guide titled, Evaluating the Gender Pay Gap in Your Organisation: A Guiding Resource, to support defined entities in assessing their own gender pay gaps and identifying areas for improvement. The guide explains the gender pay gap is, how to evaluate it, and what influences it, offering questions to prompt deeper investigation into workplace gender equality.
  3. Webinar delivery: In December 2023, WHISE hosted a free webinar featuring a guest speaker from the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector to present on what the gender pay gap is, how it is measured, and what factors primarily influence it. Representatives from Bayside and Frankston City Councils shared their experiences and learnings, and the above-mentioned resource was launched. The webinar, attended by 32 people, enhanced understanding and confidence in addressing the gender pay gap in the workplace. A full evaluation of the webinar is available.
  4. Presentations: WHISE has presented on the gender pay gap to partner organisations, including TAFE Directors Association (Australia).

These efforts have collectively contributed to raising awareness, understanding, and action towards closing the gender pay gap in the SMR.

SOCIAL VALUE IMPACT:

Project: The Gender Pay Gap Webinar

Net Social Benefit to Community $44,665

Benefit Cost Ratio 10.78

Social Impact as calculated through Australia for the delivery of the Gender Pay Gap Webinar.
The values used in this cost benefit analysis have been derived using the wellbeing valuation method from data gathered through the HILDA (Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia) and Journeys Home Survey.