Balancing the Scales for Women in the Australian Workplace

When the scales still aren’t level and what we can do about it.

This year’s UN Women Australia International Women’s Day theme, “Balance The Scales”, asks us to confront the structural barriers that continue to block equality, safety and fairness for women. For those of us in positions of authority – particularly in the recruitment industry – this theme should give us pause and inspire action.

From the lens of our industry and my role as CEO, I’ve considered what it truly means to “balance the scales”, not just in word, but in measurable outcomes.

The state of play in Australia.

Despite progress, gender inequality persists in the Australian workplace. According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s Gender Equality Scorecard 2024–25:

• Women in Australia earn around 78.9 cents for every dollar men earn, with a gender pay gap of about 21.1% - meaning a difference of roughly $28,000 per year on average.
• Women are still under-represented in senior leadership roles and on boards. One in four boards has no women members at all.
• Gender disparities extend beyond wages into unpaid labour, workforce participation and career progression - areas that often aren’t captured in remuneration numbers alone.

These figures reflect lives, careers and opportunities shaped (or limited) long before a candidate walks through an interview room.

Where the recruitment industry tips the scales.

Recruiters present shortlists, negotiate salaries and fill leadership roles. In doing so, we influence whose credentials get visibility, whose value gets recognised in salary negotiations and who gets access to leadership pathways. Our industry is NOT neutral:

• Every shortlist can perpetuate imbalance or help right it.
• Every pay negotiation translates into real differences in career earnings.
• The outcomes we help create today shape who is advantaged (and who is marginalised) tomorrow.

We see where gender bias persists (both conscious and unconscious) and where structural barriers still operate.

We can use those insights to advise organisations on structural change:

• Implementing gender balanced shortlists
• Promoting salary transparency and banding
• Supporting return-to-work and flexible work programs
• Encouraging robust frameworks for promotion and career progression

These are practical levers that help tip the scales toward equity.

Balancing the scales at MAYDAY.

At MAYDAY, women are not an afterthought; they are central to our leadership and culture.

MAYDAY was founded by three women. Our leadership profile reflects this with five of our eight senior leaders women and an overall ratio of approximately one male to six females across the business. This wasn’t engineered as a quota. It resulted from hiring the right person for the job. But it highlights a broader truth: systemic change often starts with fair, intentional hiring and talent development.

And as a male CEO in a predominantly female organisation, I must acknowledge something simple but fundamental:

I don’t experience the workplace the way they do.

That isn’t a performative statement, its fact. My role isn’t to perform empathy; it’s to listen, learn and act to remove barriers they might experience that I cannot see.

Bias and friction can show up in the smallest interactions - choice of words, assumptions about capability or availability, or norms that feel “just business” but disproportionately impact women.

What we’ve done (so far).

In the last 12 months at MAYDAY, we’ve implemented:

1. A requirement that anyone expressing interest in management roles must first interview for that position to ensure visibility and accountability.
2. Collaboration with an external advisor to build a transparent competency framework that all staff can view and understand.
3. A clearly defined Promotion Framework with transparent criteria so employees know exactly how progression works.
4. Creation of an internal HR role focused on analysing promotion, salary and exit data enabling evidence based decisions.
5. A return-to-work pilot program for people returning from maternity leave, complete with coaching support to ease the transition.

This isn’t exhaustive and it isn’t “finished.” This is the start of what we want to be a continuous evolution of systems and governance that support fairness and opportunity.                                                                                                                                                                          

Outcomes matter more than messaging

International Women’s Day too often becomes a day of sentiment and celebration. While both have their place, in business, outcomes matter more than messaging.

I’m fortunate that my role allows me to influence outcomes, not just statements. To shape processes, challenge assumptions and ensure that the scales are not just a theme once a year, but an operating principle every day.

Jason Darbyshire

Chief Executive Officer

MAYDAY Recruitment Group