Business leaders push to improve diversity in workplace

Diversity is on the agenda at a number of Australian workplaces with many employers concerned they don’t have enough of it.

A recent survey of more than 2,000 executives at ANZ, which was conducted by the Diversity Council of Australia (DCA), has found that women are poorly represented at executive levels.

DCA chief executive Nareen Young said that the organisation's research findings reflected a need by corporations to "build understanding and engagement around cultural diversity".

Ms Young also highlighted the importance of hiring staff from different backgrounds in a nation where people come from more than 200 countries and speak more than 400 languages, 164 of which are Indigenous.

Of concern to those who conducted the study was the lack of Asian women in senior roles, especially at a time when the bank is looking to expand its operations in this region.

ANZ chief executive Mike Smith said that the results would help improve business practices.

"'Capitalising on culture' is particularly important for ANZ as we seek to grow our business across Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific – building a truly super regional bank," he said.

The report echoes concerns of women in high profile positions around the country, as more and more people question what on the surface appear to be standard business practices.

Meg Whitman, chief executive of Hewlett-Packard, made headlines this week when she told reporters women were underrepresented in managerial roles at an executive level in the private sector.

“Women made tremendous gains in the 70s, 80s and 90s," asserted Ms Whitman.

"But the last decade has not been great. We are now almost at critical mass at the business schools and law schools. So what is driving this flatline?”

The leader of one of the world’s largest technology companies was frank in her assessment of the modern workplace.

Saying that while women in areas such as health, medicine and academia were continuing to move ahead in their careers their peers in the private sector are being left behind.

According to the Australian her comments informed part of a wider analysis about the role of women in the technology sector, especially in boardrooms around the globe.

Also, they coincide with studies conducted in Australia, Britain and American that indicate female executives make up roughly 12 per cent of the workforce.

Yet despite her scathing assessment of private business practices and call for improved working conditions for both men and women, Ms Whitman seemed unable to explain why the reported gender gap is so wide.