Link: http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/5F/0C05995F.asp

A dual-earner household, but with a twist...
(By Barbara Pollack, director, Centre for Work & Life, University of South Australia via humanresourcesmagazine.com.au)

Lets take an example. Catherine, has recently completed a double degree in law and psychology. She is about 25, and working in a rehabilitation practice with workers returning to work after injury, a job she loves.

But not all is as good as it might be in such a happy land. We do not do so well on inequality. Catherine exemplifies Australian women’s turn to education, and to a late start for children. She is also likely to exemplify an Australian woman’s propensity to work around their children, through part-time work.

Societies that are increasingly reliant on women’s labour and want to enjoy high levels of household wellbeing, without wide socio-economic and gender gaps, have to provide five practical policy pillars. They are:

1. Long paid parental leaves

2. Quality, affordable, accessible early childhood education and care

3. Quality part-time jobs and flexibility at work

4. Good management – of systems and workplaces

5. Prevention and remediation of gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment and undervaluation of women’s work

6. Sharing domestic work and care.

If Australia is to reap the fruit of women workers’ contribution at work without compromising the health and wellbeing of our population, we have to construct these pillars promptly so that they are – as much as we can ensure – universally available and in good functional shape.

For the full article:
http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/5F/0C05995F.asp