Over a quarter of Australian employers aren’t measuring the prevalence of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination, the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has found.
The latest WGEA report analysed data from across 7,000 medium and large businesses, which employ more than 5 million Australians.
It noted that nearly 99% of employers have implemented a policy on workplace sexual harassment. However, the WGEA said employers ”have a responsibility to stop sexual harassment before it starts”.
Methodology
The WGEA is a Government agency that regularly collects data on gender equality in workplaces.
Employers with 100 or more staff members are legally required to report to the WGEA anually on several gender equality indicators.
The WGEA said its latest report shows “an area for focus includes ensuring company leaders understand, and promote, expectations of a safe, respectful and inclusive workplace.”
Findings
- 98% of workplaces have processes for employees to disclose sexual harassment to HR or specific staff members.
- 68% have anonymous disclosure processes. WGEA said, “The ability to protect a reporter’s identity with anonymous disclosure is important, given widespread underreporting of these serious issues.”
- Nearly 90% of workplaces offer sexual harassment and discrimination prevention training. However, “this training does not always occur at all levels of the organisation,” the report said.
- One in four CEOs spoke about workplace expectations during new staff orientations.
- One in ten explained these expectations to staff ahead of a work-related event (e.g. a Christmas party).
- Less than a third of employers who collect data on sexual harassment in the workplace noted the gender of the alleged victim.
“Workplace sexual harassment and discrimination is a gender equality issue that predominantly impacts women.”
WGEA report
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