Womenomics

Workers are fleeing the country at an alarming rate – but if you are a professional woman think twice. Women in senior jobs in Australia’s largest companies earn up to 50% less that men in similar positions.

The survey which was completed by the federal government’s Equal Employment for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) found that women chief executives earn 32.3% less than men and the gap for chief operating officer and chief financial officer is about 50%. The largest pay gap is in the finance sector where top female earners make 48% less than men, followed by information technology and industries. These are bleak figures clearly demonstrating that discrimination is systematic throughout the work force. Once again women are underpaid and undervalued. In fact Australian women held only 7% of top earning jobs in ASX200 companies.

It is my fervent hope that sometime this century the economic table will be turned and we gain financial empowerment.

Footnote: A response to Brent Wheeler (check him out at www.brentwheeler.com) – yes, women in full time work do earn 80% of a man’s wage, but when you take all women’s employment into account it is around 60%. Not at all acceptable.