If I had a dollar for every time I've been told "don't worry, GenY women are different, they've got gender balance all sorted..." well, let's just say my bank balance would be looking pretty darned healthy!  But while there's no doubt that GenY women are well positioned for career and life success, it's also true that most of what you read about their attitudes and beliefs is based on loose assumptions and opinions.  Now new research by Business & Professional Women International shines the light on beliefs, values and expectations of over 600 women from USA across four key areas: workplace values, work-life balance, gender in the workplace and intergenerational workplace dynamics. Read More

Every week I receive literally dozens of links on recommended reading, article alerts and just plain old emails from readers like you pointing out something you've liked - which is great because it makes a little easier and a LOT more interesting!  I thought I'd start sharing some of my favorites each week, which I don't have time to cover in detailed articles but which are certainly worth a read.  Like these ones: Read More

This article by Nellie Akalp tells us what we already know about women entrepreurs: they are thriving in the new economy and this is why: Read More

“It seems that "having it all" - or, if you prefer, "doing it all" - is no longer a question of "can she?" or "can't she?". It is a fact of life”, says Rachel Hills in her weekend article in Sunday Life on The Superwoman Myth.  Hot on the heels of Sarah-Jessica Parker’s new movie I Don’t Know How She Does It, Rachel allowed me to weigh in on the debate: do women want it all? My response?  Read More

It could be just my interpretation, but I loath the term “mother guilt”.  It seems to me that labels like this do nothing to support the self-confidence of mothers – and it’s certainly not a draw card for career-minded women deciding whether and when to embark on parenting. Read More

I’m deeply concerned about by the government’s announcement that the childcare rebate is to be reduced (yes – you read right: reduced!).  As you’ll be aware, I recently co-founded the Make Care Fair lobby aimed at increasing childcare support and flexibility for Australian families… and yet the government has just announced plans to cut the childcare rebate back to $7,500 per child per year, from the current $8,179 per child.  This is going to have an impact on tens of thousands of Australian families with children in paid care and their employers.  One in four parents of kids in childcare already go back to work for no net financial gain; reducing the childcare rebate will make this worse, reduce the number of women in the leadership pipeline as even more women drop out of the paid workforce, and of course fewer women in senior roles. Read More

Almost 3 out of 4 women working in the manufacturing industry have never been promoted or given a higher paying role, while more than 60 per cent of female workers had never been offered any workplace training, according to a survey report released this week by AMWU titled Breaking the Perspex Ceiling. Read More

On Wednesday I attended The Sydney Institute annual dinner where the Prime Minister Julia Gillard shared her vision for Australia (many thanks to my hosts, Carol Schwartz and her husband Alan). Read More