By Kelley Reynard

It can be argued that, despite the wealth of research and media attention recently regarding gender diversity in leadership roles in the workplace, women continue to be underrepresented in leadership roles when it comes to running the nation’s companies. This imbalance initiated action in the 2010 Gender Equality Blueprint, and identified that attracting and retaining more women in leadership positions needs to be a key priority area for achieving gender equality. Many leadership positions are male-dominated, and Australia has made significant strides in recent years to bridge this gender gap. Every two years, research is carried out by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency, which reveals that the gender imbalance is marginally improving with regards to the representation of women on Australian Boards. According to the research, women represented 8.4% of the total number of directorships on Boards in 2010 with this increasing to 12.3% by 2012 (1).

Further research has been carried out which suggests that female directors provide the greatest impetus for change in times of good performance. The study examined the characteristics that female directors bring to a Board noting that expertise, freedom of expression, and a broader strategic outlook are often introduced to the business through having female directors in the Boardroom. The findings suggested that when business is going well, women in executive positions are far more likely to chart a positive course for the organisation. However, when the company is not going so well, the research suggests that these women can tend to settle for the status quo and shy away from making important strategic decisions. The research also discusses with relevance, about an organisation’s position in the market, and the impact its position has on the bottom line when women of power are in leadership positions.

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