Why are part-time workers in the pharma, medtech and diagnostics sectors hitting a promotion wall?

Human Resources: There is disconcerting trend restricting career growth for Australians engaged in part-time work in the private sector. This revelation comes from the latest analysis released by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), shedding light on a ‘part-time promotion cliff’ impacting career progression across the nation.

Drawing insights from data contributed by private sector employers with 100 or more employees participating in the annual Employer Census conducted by the WGEA, the analysis paints a stark picture. The early release of employer data for 2022-23 reveals a meagre 7% of managerial positions across all industries occupied by part-time employees, starkly contrasting the 22% of non-managerial roles held by part-time workers.

The Wholesale Trade sector, encompassing most of the pharma, medtech and diagnostics companies within the WGEA data, has the lowest proportion of part-time manager roles, at only 2%.

Mary Wooldridge, CEO of WGEA, underscored the disheartening findings, emphasising, “There is effectively a ‘promotion cliff’ for part-time workers in Australia. A high proportion of Australian women work part-time (30% of women, compared to 11% of men), so limited access to flexible working arrangements has a disproportionate effect on women’s earning capacity and contributes to Australia’s gender pay gap.”

The report delves deeper, revealing a troubling decline in part-time managerial roles concerning seniority levels. Astonishingly, only 5% of Key Management Personnel and a mere 3% of CEOs work in part-time capacities. This glaring disparity underscores a substantial gap in promotional prospects for individuals, particularly women, who often opt for part-time roles due to various personal or professional commitments.

Ms Wooldridge stressed the disproportionate impact on women’s earning potential and the exacerbation of gender pay gaps due to limited access to flexible working arrangements.

“This analysis underscores severe constraints, especially for women seeking part-time roles at senior levels,” she noted, expressing concern about the underutilisation of women’s skills and their subsequent stagnation in more junior roles, thereby inhibiting their true potential.

The report issued a compelling call to action, urging employers to proactively reconsider the structure of full-time managerial roles and explore flexible alternatives like job-sharing or part-time arrangements. Embracing such adaptable approaches, the report asserts, could unlock a diverse talent pool and facilitate progression opportunities for part-time workers aspiring to ascend into leadership positions.

Highlighting the urgent need for change to foster inclusive workplaces conducive to growth and diversity, Ms Wooldridge emphasised, “In an environment of historically low unemployment, employers can’t discount part-time workers. To attract and retain talent from diverse genders and of all ages, employers need to offer flexible working arrangements, reconsider what it means to be a leader in the workplace and implement part-time or job-sharing opportunities at managerial and executive level.

“This is a call to action for all employers to actively develop and promote part-time management roles. Providing opportunities for women and for men to work part-time as they progress to management and leadership roles will have significant benefits for both employees and their workplaces.”

In reimagining healthcare across the entire patient journey, Health Industry Hub^TM is the only one-stop-hub bringing the diversity of Pharma, MedTech, Diagnostics & Biotech sectors together to inspire meaningful change.

The content on Health Industry Hub is copyright protected and should only be accessed under individual user licenses. To subscribe, please click here and visit T&Cs here.