Successful targets need more than box-ticking

Successful targets need more than box-ticking

by | May 13, 2025 | Gender Equity Advocates, Uncategorized

 Using targets as a lever to create culture change needs more than box-ticking for compliance purposes. Without analysis, strategy and structural change that is underpinned by committed leadership, they may not only fail but backfire.

Current legislative environment

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) now requires larger employers to set one numeric and two action-based targets from a ‘menu’ of options across WGEA’s six gender equality indicators. The menu of action-based targets includes areas shown to drive improvements in gender equality outcomes. These are to be selected and reported to WGEA in 2026.

Why have targets been introduced?

Over the past decade, the national average gender pay gap (GPG) for total remuneration has decreased from 28.6% in 2015 to 21.8% today. But this is an average across all employers and industries so doesn’t tell the full story as there is significant variation between employers and industries.

The GPG, though not a perfect measure, serves as a useful proxy for gender equality. It is a relatable metric with a standardised format that makes it accessible to employers, employees and the media. It provides a year-on-year indicator of an organisation’s gender equality performance and highlights which organisations and industries have more work to do in this space.

Notably, due to the constraints of WGEA’s legislation, this measure doesn’t include other intersectional demographics such as race, age, disability, LGBTQIA+. Capturing and conducting your own intersectional analysis will give you more thorough and meaningful data.

But the GPG is complex, driven by factors such as industrial and occupational segregation, organisational culture, structural biases and social norms. Although many of these factors are historical and legitimately require time to shift, introducing targets is designed to accelerate the rate of change. They require a shift in thinking from being reactive to proactive.

For some employers, this is a welcome move, especially those who have already seen positive results from setting targets. For others, it may feel like an added burden and unnecessary.

But setting targets isn’t just about compliance. Targets aren’t about setting and forgetting, or boxticking. They can be used to your competitive advantage, leveraged as a tool to achieve equity and create inclusive cultures. This, over time, will also drive down your gender pay gap.

 

What are targets?

Targets are achievable, time-framed objectives which organisations can set on a regular basis to focus their efforts on achieving improved outcomes. The key here is ‘achievable’. Research shows that overly ambitious targets are less likely to be achieved and when targets aren’t achieved it can have a negative impact on organisations and reduce motivation to change.

Most organisations are familiar with setting targets for financial and operating performance. Gender and diversity targets operate in much the same way by setting objectives around key areas where change is needed or desired. They can help focus attention and demonstrate a commitment to deliver.

 

Does setting targets work?

Some believe targets unintentionally exclude others, leaving some to feel marginalised and resentful. Others think that targets (sometimes erroneously referred to as quotas) can result in what UK Business Psychologist Binna Kandola calls the ‘stigma of incompetence’. This is where those hired because of targets can be assumed less competent which obviously undermines their credibility.

Although setting targets is now a requirement for larger employers reporting to WGEA, having them in place is not enough.

If organisations focus only on meeting a target to be compliant without building internal capability or making the structural changes needed for sustainable progress and culture change, the underlying issues remain unaddressed, undermining longer-term success.

So how do you make sure targets don’t have unintended consequences by sending the wrong messages or driving behaviours that address symptoms not the cause of inequality?

When done correctly, targets are not about compromising on quality but about unlocking potential that may have been previously overlooked due to bias or systemic barriers.

Organisations must ensure their targets are meaningful, achievable, and embedded into a broader strategy for change. True progress comes from understanding the underlying issues, building internal capability, and setting a clear path for improvement.

 

How do I set targets for lasting change?

When thinking about how to achieve targets, it’s important organisations focus on structural change that embeds diversity, fairness, and inclusive behaviours into policies, systems and processes that ultimately benefit everyone. Below are some guiding principles.

1. To understand your current state and what are your REAL issues, conduct a DEEP data analysis that ideally includes other intersectional data. Guessing where to direct your efforts and resources isn’t a strategy. It’s crossing your fingers and hoping for the best….at best potentially a costly and wasteful approach.

It’s important when analysing your data to consider a longer period than just one year, e.g. look at data from three years. This will give a more stable picture of your operations and enable you to identify patterns.

Be wary about averages. Although meaningful in some ways, averages can mask poor performance. For example, you may have gender balance in management overall but when you dig deeper and analyse each manager category individually, you may find that the lowest level has 70% women and the highest level, 15% women. This would inform where actions are needed.

Further, if you have multiple work-sites it’s important to analyse data from each site individually. Although aggregating data may show gender balance across the group, you may have one site where management and other high-paying roles are very men-dominated, and another that is very women-dominated. This information is important in effectively tailoring your actions to where they are needed.

2. Using your data analysis findings, other information such as your business strategy, your organisation’s growth projections, turnover rates, any projected internal changes such restructures, and market conditions to inform what targets to set means they’ll be more realistic and achievable.

For example, if you’re expanding you can be more ambitious in what numeric targets to set, informed by the workforce planning that you’ll undertake. Alternatively, if you are in a period of consolidation or restructuring, you may want to focus more on setting retention or promotion targets.

3. Set your targets and organisation up for success by defining what structural changes are needed to drive real change. Introducing guard/guide rails in systems, policies and processes to create a workplace culture that is fair and inclusive will not only drive the change needed to achieve a target but will benefit all employees.

As part of this process, it’s important there’s genuine leadership commitment to gender equality and diversity particularly at the CEO and executive management level.

To mainstream gender equality and diversity as a business priority and not only as a side project, you’ll want to link your gender equality and diversity strategy to your values and include it as part of your business strategy.

4. Build capability and understanding – educate your workforce on systemic bias, inclusive leadership, the rationale behind diversity targets and the value of a diverse workforce. It’s important to communicate that a target isn’t tokenism, it’s not a quota, it’s a strategic advantage.

5. Communicate to your workforce that the changes to systems and processes are occurring to create a diverse and inclusive environment where all employees are valued for their unique perspectives and contributions. This is important in getting buy-in so all your workforce can see the benefits for everyone.

6. Embed accountability – link target outcomes to KPIs for leaders.

7. To build trust and momentum, measure and communicate progress transparently.

 

In conclusion, using targets as a lever to create lasting culture change requires more than box-ticking for compliance purposes. When supported by strategic leadership that’s committed to genuine action, targets that are well-designed and grounded in data can be powerful drivers of change.

 

 

Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative: Empowering First Nations Women Through Education

Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative: Empowering First Nations Women Through Education

by | Feb 28, 2025 | Gender Equity Advocates

For 68 years, Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative has been a beacon of empowerment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, transforming lives through education. As Australia’s oldest independent Indigenous education provider, Tranby has played a pivotal role in fostering leadership, knowledge, and opportunity within First Nations communities.

A key pillar of Tranby’s impact is the Yanalangami: Strong Women, Strong Communities program—an initiative dedicated to equipping First Nations women with the skills and confidence to navigate both corporate and cultural spaces. With over 130 Changemaker graduates, Yanalangami is not just about personal growth; it’s about creating a ripple effect of leadership and transformation across communities.

One such leader is Katherine Stone, who joined Yanalangami in 2022. After completing the intensive six-week online program, she went on to become a Community Facilitator through the ‘Train the Trainer’ initiative. Today, as National Program Manager for Yanalangami, Katherine is at the forefront of the program’s expansion, ensuring that the next generation of First Nations women are empowered with knowledge, confidence, and a strong sense of purpose.

Tranby’s commitment to gender equity and community empowerment was recently recognized when it won the First Nations Business category of the Gender Equity Awards—a testament to its enduring impact in fostering leadership and opportunity for Indigenous women.

Through its education programs, cultural leadership initiatives, and unwavering dedication to First Nations empowerment, Tranby continues to pave the way for a stronger, more inclusive future.

It’s Time to March Forward: How You Can Drive Meaningful Change

It’s Time to March Forward: How You Can Drive Meaningful Change

by | Feb 28, 2025 | Gender Equity Advocates

By Lisa Sweeney

International Women’s Day is a powerful reminder that change starts with action. While conversations around gender equity are important, it’s time to move beyond discussion and take tangible steps toward a more inclusive world. The reality is stark: the gender pay gap, lack of women in leadership, and financial insecurity for women over 50 remain persistent challenges. However, you can make a difference—by influencing just one person.

1. Speak Up – Silence Gives Tacit Approval
Too often, people remain silent in the face of bias or discrimination. But saying nothing can be perceived as approval. Instead, challenge inappropriate remarks or behaviors by calmly stating, “That does not align with our values” or “We strive for inclusion and respect in this workplace.” Your voice matters.

2. Ensure Good Ideas Are Heard
How often have you seen someone cut off a colleague or take credit for their idea? Encourage active listening, reinforce good ideas by acknowledging their source, and ensure everyone in the room has a chance to contribute. A simple “That was a great idea from [name]” can go a long way.

3. Challenge Bias – Including Your Own
Bias, whether conscious or unconscious, influences decision-making. Take time to reflect on your own biases and address them. If you notice bias in hiring, promotions, or day-to-day interactions, call it out and advocate for fair treatment.

4. Advocate for Thoughtful Business Practices
Create a culture where no one feels less than, unheard, or unwelcome. That means ensuring everyone in your workplace is valued, their contributions are recognized, and their needs are met—including flexibility for caregiving, accessible workplaces, and inclusive policies.

5. Build Awareness of the Business Case for Diversity
Companies that reflect their communities make better decisions and serve their stakeholders more effectively. Diverse teams bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions. The data is clear—equity isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s good for business.

6. Support Menstrual and Menopause Leave
Forward-thinking businesses are already seeing results from introducing menstrual and menopause leave. Not only do these policies support employees’ well-being, but they also reduce recruitment costs by making workplaces more attractive and inclusive.

7. Encourage Men to Be Allies
Men play a crucial role in achieving gender equity. Encourage them to take advantage of new parental leave privileges, advocate for women in leadership, and actively challenge bias. True allyship is about action, not just words.

8. Advocate for Equal Pay
Ensure pay transparency and fairness in your workplace. If you’re in a position of influence, push for salary audits and equitable compensation policies. If not, support initiatives that promote equal pay for equal work.

9. Push for Balanced Recruitment
If your candidate pool isn’t diverse, reconsider the criteria you’re using. Are you unintentionally creating barriers? Diverse hiring leads to stronger teams and a more inclusive culture.

10. Be a Mentor or Sponsor
One of the most impactful ways to create change is by supporting a woman in your workplace or community. Provide guidance, open doors, and offer opportunities for growth. Recognize that intersectionality—factors like race and disability—can double the barriers individuals face.

Take Action Today
Change doesn’t require grand gestures. Sometimes, all it takes is speaking up, mentoring someone, or challenging an outdated practice. This International Women’s Day, let’s move beyond the talk fest. Let’s take action.

Men as Allies: Clearing the Path, Not Just Holding the Mic

Men as Allies: Clearing the Path, Not Just Holding the Mic

by | Feb 27, 2025 | Gender Equity Advocates

By Roman Ruzbacky

Gender Equity Award Winner DEI Manager 2024

On the eve of International Women’s Day, I began to hear once again the familiar sounds of CEOs and politicians responding to the calls for action in tackling gender inequality in Australian workplaces, with the following familiar catch phrases, “There’s more to do…. We must do more …..We have a long way to go….Everyone needs to play a role here… We need to work together……We have to ensure that all women have….. It’s the right thing to do…” It appears to be a recurring theme. Well, that’s what I wrote in 2016.

At the time, I would have preferred to hear, “We are doing everything we can… We have thrown everything at it… We have left no stone unturned…..”

And now in 2025, apart from the cupcake debacle, there’s more serious business to deal with. Staying on course. And trusting the systems and processes we have cemented in place will keep us on course. The ship has set sail and there’s no turning back.

The backdrop of new forms of overt resistance, the usually covert forms of resistance, and throw in the myth of merit, noise and cognitive overload. It’s a familiar cycle. However, the key issue persists, the glaciers are possibly melting faster than the glacial pace of change to achieve gender equality.

And where are the men in all this? Who is going to show up this year? And who is going to do more?

What is the nature of the recent backlash towards gender equity initiatives? I feel there have always been three camps, the noisy ones, the passive silent ones and the active ones.

Outright angry types: It has been perceived in some circles that the middle-aged male has become an “endangered species”. So, every attempt to even the playing field is met by loud and aggressive opposition, including claims of reverse discrimination

Passive fearing types: Remain silent on the topic, avoidance or zero acknowledgement of the issue, or worrying about saying the wrong thing and uncomfortable entering the conversation.

Doers: Advocates, Activists and Non-Performative Allies who understand that gender equity benefits everyone and actually do something about it.  

Male allies are there

Most of the men working in gender equity in Australia know of each other and about each other’s work, and our ongoing commitment to gender equity.

And my fellow male advocates, allies and activists, are appalled at seeing rates of violence against women (a national crisis), we are engaged with the #MeToo and Respect at Work initiatives, redefining fatherhood, we are seeing greater visibility, transparency and increased accountability in workplaces and gaining better understanding of intersectional inequity, cultural and psychological safety and co-design. These issues are being surfaced in IWD events, conferences, workshops, and forums throughout the year. Something has definitely changed.

I have been working in gender equity since 1997 (and others have even longer), since the early 70s. In fact, it’s become more than a career. Why? Because of personal experiences, where I observed firsthand as a child of a single mother in the 70s and 80s, many challenges women had to face and navigate, and still do.

As a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practitioner, I have developed gender equity strategies and actions plans for organisations, managed discrimination and sexual harassment complaints, conducted intersectional gender pay gap analyses, and prepared ten successful applications for the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) Employer of Choice Citation, I have come to the conclusion that gender equity benefits everyone.

At the core of my work is equity, ensuring all people are treated with dignity and respect, have equitable access to employment opportunities and the ability to participate in all aspects of work and public life.

“Equity is the principle that people should have the same opportunities to succeed, despite any past injustices or systemic discrimination. Equity means the ways we treat people and interests ‘fairly’ and without creating privilege and extremes of difference between and among people and groups in communities of wellbeing, health, liberties and protections, resources and reasonable access to resources. This may mean that resources are distributed in a way that addresses the specific needs of underprivileged communities or people.”

There’s more than enough for everyone. There’s enough room in leadership.

Engaging men in the conversation

So, how do I engage in a conversation about gender equality in my workplace and make someone care enough about it? And I’ve moved more into the storytelling part of my practice. How do I connect with stories – conversations from the heart. How do I look for connection and empathy? And how do I then lean into the evidence? How do we make it real for people?

We could start with the personal, for example, comparing superannuation statements for men and women after 25 years of work in your family. Or if we talk about cost-of-living pressures, we talk about the impact of gender pay gap issues, job segregation, career breaks, unpaid and invisible work, and cumulative effects.  

For example, when I look at someone’s remuneration when conducting gender pay gap analysis, for example, a single mum earning only $55,000 a year, or person who has caring responsibilities, a graduate moving out and looking for a new job, or someone over 50yrs old who has been made redundant, etc.,  I think about their life compared to someone on a significantly higher income. Lower income earners have bigger challenges and hurdles – like trying to pay the bills and put food on the table. And because it’s mainly women on average on lower wages in Australia working in jobs that either keep you well, educated and alive, then that’s an issue worth addressing.

The stupid curve

Does the layperson need some basic proficiency in the science/evidence of gender inequity? Just enough to know what is going on.

“We have seen many senior leaders and employees shift their thinking and be spurred to action by compelling data. When having our first conversation about gender equity with senior leaders and people managers, we bring one piece of evidence that results in an ‘Aha’ moment – where the reality of gender equity is demonstrated by engaging the Head through the “Stupid Curve” visual. (ref: https://www.wgea.gov.au/)

This graph, also called a “jaws or scissors graph,” is a powerful way of visually demonstrating the gender parity in the recruitment of women and men at the outset of their careers, and the significant loss of women mid-career. This is when the lines widen significantly on the graph and the representation of women in manager, senior manager, executive, C-suite, and CEO levels drop exponentially.

In Australia, women outperform men in domestic undergraduate and postgraduate completion (ref: https://www.wgea.gov.au/resources/ publications/higher-education-enrolments-and-graduate-labour-market-statistics)

The gender composition of higher education course completions in 2019 shows that a higher proportion of women graduated than men. Women currently represent 60.4 % of all completed undergraduate and postgraduate higher degree courses.  The Stupid Curve is a phrase coined by former Deloitte USA Chairman Mike Cook and it demonstrates how companies under-utilise workforce talent.

When overlaying your organisation’s workplace profile data on this curve, you will be able to quickly establish if your organisation has a similar curve. You will also be able to determine if women with intersecting identities, including women with disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally diverse backgrounds, women at different age groups, carers, and TGDNB represented at even lower levels. You may be able to pinpoint the glass escalator, glass ceiling, the double-glazed ceiling, and glass cliff in your graph.

What you’re also trying to demonstrate is the potential limitations of homogenous leadership, the lack of multiple perspectives in decision making, not utilising the pool of talent available to you and potentially not being reflective of the customers or community you serve.

And we often hear the statement, “You can’t be what you can’t see”. So, if you are early on in your career, and looking at leadership, or jobs advertisements with imagery, do you see yourself?  After a few years of helping to run a gender summit for a STEM university faculty, I heard a senior male leader say, “If we had gender parity in our third year courses, we would double our enrolments”.

I’ve been a quiet disruptor

I have always felt that allyship is something you don’t declare or assume. It’s something that is earned and someone has called you because of your actions. Allyship was super important during the time of the “It Gets Better project” supporting our LGBTQ+ youth (2010).

As my colleague put it, an ally is someone who is open to learning, listening without judgment, knows there are diverse ways of seeing the world and supports the rights of people who experience inequity.

What have I seen in 25 years? In short, I have seen some significant legislative gains in a backdrop of continued recurring pattern of two steps forward, one step back. And interestingly, I believe the community is more than ready for change. Think about Women’s AFL, the first match was a sellout, and the ground was too small to accommodate the huge wave of supporters – the groundswell underestimated.  Think about the stunning performance of the Australian Olympic women’s swimming team. But then think of the Arts, Music, Academia, STEM, IT, Emergency Services, Politics, etc, we see amazing progress all the time, things are shifting.

Yes, we’ve generally moved away from passive actions, such as morning tea events, cupcakes and don’t forget scones with jam and cream. Our conversations and approaches have matured. Have we sustained gender equity initiatives in workplaces throughout the year? Is the change sweeping enough? Is the pace still glacial? Is the rubber hitting the road? Are we getting traction? Are we getting unprecedented and change?

I have continually tried to develop my understanding and do everything I can to move the dial, by strengthening the evidence base (love everything data), to working in partnership with leaders, creating enabling environments and clearing the path of resistance created by powerful men.

The qualities of non-performative allyship

For the men I have worked and collaborated with, we see the importance of gender equity, engaging other men, doing our own learning, checking in daily on our own bias, engaging respectfully in the work in conversation, behaviour and action.

We take care in not being the dominant voice in conversation, to not take the platform, to share space, to elevate and amplify voices, and to work with humility and respect and we often work behind the scenes. But we can’t walk on eggshells and have to at times sit with discomfort.

We are taking a stand on violence against women, listen carefully and challenge negative behaviours (including sexual harassment), micro-aggressions, attitudes and inaction.

We understand the value of unpaid and invisible work, the superannuation and pay gap, precarious employment, poor job design, inflexibility, poor culture and implement actions to disrupt the cycle.

We build our literacy and familiarity with some of the research and writings of Flood, Pease, Russell, Fitzsimmons, etc. and are familiar with the terms, the glass cliff, glass ceiling, glass elevator, double-glazed ceiling and the glass closet.

We become more self-aware to pick up on mansplaining, manterrupting, manpeating, hijacking of the agenda and ticking boxes.

I usually work quietly in the background to disrupt – talking with men, shifting the burden from women to men to change the systems and environments they have created to cause and perpetuate gender and intersectional inequity.

We are recently seeing more men engaged in the gender equity conversation and not be reluctant or afraid to be part of the conversation. We are seeing more male allies step up. 99% of my role models and influencers in my life have been women, 90% of people I know working in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging are women and people who are LGBTIQ+. And this is the gap I’m trying to close.

Here are my top ten personal actions to be a better ally

Over the years I have become more intuitive in my diversity, equity and inclusion practice. Like driving a car, you become unconsciously competent and get better at looking at your blind spots, anticipating what other drivers do, avoiding obstacles and reading the traffic under all conditions.

Similarly with your own subject matter position and practice, you work on these consistently with discipline to become better at what you do. The tips below don’t operate in isolation, but if I were to unpack and isolate some of the key ingredients of my allyship, these are some of the things I contemplate and continue to work on.

  1. Having identity awareness – personally reflecting on how I come across, how I am perceived, being 6ft5, how I communicate and behave, as well as being my authentic self

  2. Acknowledging my limitations, hard-wired behaviours, and not having lived experience of gender inequity, and taking responsibility for mistakes and checking in on myself consistently

  3. Making time to listen attentively without judgment

  4. Having a curious mindset that seeks different experiences and perspectives, and not seeking comfort in sameness

  5. Immersing myself in opportunities to connect, listen, learn, build trust, respect and connection

  6. Being open to unlearning, more unlearning, then learning and not being afraid to ask questions, but understanding that some conversations are difficult and may bring past feelings of trauma

  7. Building my gender scholarship and data literacy

  8. Showing up with courage, determination, and adaptability to challenge the status quo. You can’t be afraid to get in the crossfire.

  9. Embracing the unique ways in which each person functions and contributes to our workplace and society

  10. Upstanding and not by-standing – supporting the rights of people who experience inequity, but intervening not interfering

It takes time and effort to disrupt and shift an existing system. For any disruption to be truly effective, everyone must play a part as everyone benefits.

 

Roman Ružbacký

Roman is an experienced diversity, equity and inclusion leader who helps to create equitable, inclusive and happy workplaces. In 2024, he co-authored the Fearless DEI Practitioner and was winner of the 2024 Individual Recalibrate Gender Equity Awards. He is a principal DEI consultant at Roman Ruzbacky & Associates, and has worked in research, university and the Victorian Public Sector. He specialises in diversity data literacy, gender equity, pay equity analysis, workshop facilitation and started his career as an analytical chemist with a music major in composition. He was the President of the Equal Employment Opportunity Network between 2017 to 2022 and a member of the AHRI and Swimming Victoria DEI Advisory Committees. 

LinkedIn: LinkedIn 

Roman Ružbacký

Principal Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant 

Roman Ruzbacky & Associates