Gender equity in professional and general staff in Australian universities: the contemporary picture

Abstract

Most research on employment conditions of university staff has focused on academic staff and excluded all other staff who now constitute the majority of employees in Australian universities. This article presents a snapshot of these professional staff using data from a 2011 national study of 19 universities, the Work and Careers in Australia University (WCAU) survey. Analysis of responses from 10,924 general/professional university workers was undertaken and comparisons made where possible with a similar 1996 survey conducted by Probert. The article addresses the ongoing issue of women’s progress up organisational hierarchies and presents an analysis of some of the mechanisms by which gender amongst university professional staff is produced and hindered. Specifically, it addresses questions of educational level, current position in the organisation, appointments, promotion and reclassification of positions, that is advancement through the hierarchy. The article concludes that despite equal educational attainments, women remain less likely than men to reach senior positions.

Keywords:

• professional staff
• universities
• career progression
• gender segregation
• gender

Acknowledgements

The data source for this article was from the Australian Research Council funded Linkage Grant: Gender and Employment Equity: Strategies for Advancement in Australian Universities, 2009–2012 LP0991191. This research was led by Prof Glenda Strachan with co-investigators Prof Gillian Whitehouse, Prof David Peetz, Assoc. Prof Janis Bailey and Dr Kaye Broadbent. Dr Carolyn Troup is a Research Fellow with the project. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Australian Research Council.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenda Strachan

Dr Glenda Strachan is Professor, Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University, Australia. Her research interests centre on contemporary and historical workplace change, especially issues relating to women’s working experience, and the impact of organisational and national employment policies.

Janis Bailey

Dr Janis Bailey is Associate Professor, Department of Employment Relations and Human Resources, Griffith University. Her research interests include union strategy and campaigning; vulnerable workers including youth, migrants and women; and teaching and learning in industrial relations. She is currently working on projects regarding comparative retail union strategy, gender equity in universities, workplace relations in the hotel industry and capstone subjects in business degrees.

Michelle Wallace

Michelle Wallace, PhD, is Associate Professor of Human Resources in the Southern Cross University Business School, Australia. Michelle’s recent publications include works on HRM, gender power and identity in organisations, change, career development and transnational teaching and learning.

Carolyn Troup

Dr Carolyn Troup is a Research Fellow in The Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University. Her research interests focus on gender, work and family and organisational health research.