Gender equity in the workplace

At Waipapa Taumata Rau, our commitment to workplace gender equity goes beyond mere compliance with legal requirements. It's an initiative proudly championed by our dedicated HR team. Through strategic workstreams, targeted guidelines, crafted policies, and a range of current initiatives, our HR function has set the foundations of an ambitious gender equity plan.

Workstreams

Gender data and metrics 
 

Goal 
Improve our gender-related staff analytics to strengthen our equity approach to staff recruitment, career progression, career development and employee experience.  

Current activities  

  • Collect and monitor gender representation data and metrics (e.g., vertical and horizontal distribution)  
  • Build, monitor, and report gender remuneration metrics (e.g., Gender Pay Gap, pay structures analysis)  
  • Build, monitor, and report gender metrics across the employee lifecycle (e.g., recruitment, promotion, and employee experience   

 

Gender inclusive recruitment  
 

Goal 
Strengthen, grow, and diversify our staff pipeline from diverse gender perspectives. 

Current activities

  • Improve communication channels from an intersectional gender perspective to attract new talent into the university (e.g., job ads, inclusive website, bias prevention initiatives)
  • Improve transparency in salary expectations and negotiation
  • Create an inclusive candidate experience mindful of different genders, cultures, and backgrounds

 

Equal pay and career progression  
 

Goal
Ensure fair and equitable pay, remuneration and career progression 

Current activities 

  • Design, implement and monitor targeted programmes to reduce our gender pay gap and promote equal pay
  • Strengthen the application of the achievement relative to opportunity policy in career promotions
  • Include a gender angle in the review of pay structures and staff benefits

 

Targeted support infrastructure  
 

Goal
Promote gender equity in the workplace by implementing targeted support services and staff-led initiatives aimed at levelling the playing field for staff from under-represented communities.

Current activities

  • Enhance workplace gender-based reasonable accommodations such as flexible working, parental leave, support services and caregiver initiatives
  • Design, implement and monitor initiatives on mental health, family violence and safety initiatives to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment
  • Grow, nurture and support staff-led gender diverse groups and initiatives (e.g., women of colour network, trans on campus, women in STEM)

 

Gender-focused capability development  
 

Goal
Develop capability at the individual and organisational levels to ignite gender representation and career development with a gender-inclusive lens. 

Current activities

  • Develop and implement learning programmes on bias awareness, cultural navigation and gender-inclusive leadership
  • Develop targeted initiatives for career development from a gender focus (e.g., women in leadership, coaching and mentoring) 
  • Upskill the People and Culture team with specialised and technical knowledge to identify and remove gender barriers from systems and processes