While email, instant messaging and other platforms have opened up the possibility of working anywhere, technology has normalised the practice of 24/7 availability and working extremely long hours. The always-on economy: Connectivity has proven to be a double-edged sword when it comes to work-life balance.“You may want to be, and do, everything but at the end of the day, we’re still human and it’s only possible to fit so much in to 15 hours.” It belongs to our children, our partners, our friends, and our employers.”Īs Monique James, CVCheck’s Development and Improvement Coordinator points out, a breaking point is inevitable for women who try to do it all. Women in our position rarely say that their life is their own instead, our life is segmented, with each segment belonging to other people. Melinda Tyro, CVCheck’s Enterprise Sales Manager agrees, adding: “We don’t need to be excellent at everything, but women tend to put too much pressure on themselves. If you want to avoid burnout, something has to give.” “Being the best mother, the best employee, the best leader, the best partner and the best at looking after a household is unrealistic, and leaves no time for looking after yourself. Trying to be the best at everything: “For me, the main challenge is overcoming the expectation that you have to be the best at everything,” says Marlene.Walking the talk: Marlene Cassar, CVCheck’s National Employment Services Account Manager admits that in her career, she’s been the type of manager who insists all team members leave work on time, but will sometimes stay back in the office to get projects finished.Whilst many of the challenges around work-life balance can impact both men and women at any stage of their careers, there are some specific factors that make it particularly difficult for women to find a balance. The challenges facing women in the workplace So what can organisations do to better support and retain talented women in their workplaces? It’s increasingly recognised as a key element to improve workforce retention and attract talented women, but in practice, Australia ranks a disappointing 27th out of 35 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in terms of work-life balance. These stats are improving year-on-year, but gender equality in the workplace – not only at senior levels but across organisations – is still being held back by the persistent challenge of work-life balance.Ī visit to the careers page of any major employer in Australia will most likely find a section spruiking the organisation’s work-life balance policies. Women hold nearly 14% of chair positions, 26% of directorships, 17% of CEO roles and just over 30% of key management positions. Australian women account for approximately 47% of the workforce.
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