IB Woman
Issue No. 18 - August/September 2004
Hard return: why new mothers stay home
Women, many of them highly trained, are failing to return to the workforce after having children because they believe employers lack flexibility, a recent survey by the nation’s peak accounting and finance body has shown.
The CPA Australia (SA) Women’s Survey revealed 59% of respondents say they have no options to help them address their difficulties returning to, and staying in, paid employment.
The survey also shows 88% of SA women want their employers to offer flexible work arrangements to help them achieve better work/life balance.
CPA Australia State Director Langdon Blight said the survey revealed employers still needed to make inroads into the issues facing women in the workplace.
"While we have certainly come a long way, the results show there are still major hurdles facing women in the workforce. In fact it was recently highlighted that the participation rate of women in the workforce in Australia is less than 70%, which is one of the lowest rates in the western world," Langdon says.
"The survey highlighted child care, tax deductions, family friendly working environments and low salaries as the key issues.
"What is more concerning, however, is the fact that many women feel they do not have any opportunities to address these issues with their employer."
Langdon advocates creating a work environment where staff of both sexes feel they can approach management about a range of issues relating to family.
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