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Women in Australia are reaching senior roles but are more likely to leave them than men, according to new research by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) and Curtin University. Source: theguardian.com.
Women Leave Leadership Roles More Often
Full-time women were promoted more often than men in 2024–25, based on WGEA data covering 5.4 million employees.
Yet, women who reached management were more likely to resign than men—13.8% compared to 12%.
Flexible Work and Leadership Roles
Only a small number of organisations design management roles for part-time work.
Those that do see significantly higher promotion rates for female part-time non-managers.
Flexible work strategies are linked to more women in senior management roles across all levels.
Co-CEOs and Shared Leadership
More companies are adopting co-CEO roles—where two people share a CEO position.
These arrangements are increasingly common, even at the top level of leadership.
They reflect a shift toward shared responsibilities and flexible leadership models.
Uneven Care Responsibilities
Women account for a majority of people taking primary carer parental leave.
Yet, they are more likely to quit their jobs during parental leave than men.
Some employers do not fund additional paid parental leave.
What the Research Shows
- Women are promoted more often than men in full-time roles.
- Women in management are more likely to leave than men.
- Flexible work policies improve retention and promotion rates for women.
- A small fraction of organisations offer part-time management roles.
- Co-CEO roles are growing, especially in sectors with high female workforce participation.
Why This Matters
Women make up three-quarters of health and social care workers but only about half of CEO roles.
Women hold just one in five board chairs or chief executive roles in Australian companies.
Resistance to Change
WGEA chief executive Christine Castley said there is a growing narrative pushing back against gender equality.
Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation, has claimed the gender pay gap results from women taking time off, arguing employers should not pay for parental leave.
Castley said the conversation on gender equity has moved backward in public perception, despite decades of progress.
What to Watch Next
Employers are being urged to adopt flexible work models and shared leadership roles.
Policy changes around parental leave funding and part-time management may gain momentum.
Source: The Guardian
