1. Innovative Models for Workplace
Diversity: Gaining Gender
Equality in the Organisation
Liz Ryan | Director, People & Culture
Maddocks
24 May 2011
2. Who are we?
Law firm
420 people across Sydney and
Melbourne
55 Partners
EOWA – Employer of Choice for Women
for past 7 years
Won Fair & Flexible Award from Victorian
Government for 2 years
3. Our Strategy
To be the best law firm to work
To be the law firm of choice for clients
in our chosen sectors
4. Challenges for us
Experience significant change and
growth
Increase in the complexity of issues
due to changing demographics of the
workforce and the demands of clients
Managing flexibility
5. Challenges for us Contd.
Responding to client requirements
Living our values
– Integrity
– Stewardship
– Collaboration
– Innovation
– Diversity
6. Our approach to achieving gender
equality at Maddocks
New CEO forms an Equal Opportunity
and Diversity Committee as a Sub
Committee of the Board
Our workforce data is analysed
A paper prepared by EEO & Diversity
Committee for the Board
Female Partners are invited to address
the Board
7. Issues addressed in paper to the
Board
Why an increased gender balance at Partnership
level is important
What government and private corporations are
doing
An overview and analysis of our Policies
An overview of Learning and Development
framework
An overview of our Performance Management
system
An analysis of work allocation
8. Paper to the Board addressed Contd.
Career progression
Issues specific to Women
Barriers to progression
– systems, structures and the billable hour
– how partner contribution is valued
– the biological clock
– Issues around practice building
Summary
9. The most significant action to
achieve gender equality
Lead from the top
Outstanding leadership from our
Chairman and CEO
10. Commenced with a pilot group
The engagement of a Diversity
Consultant
Interviews conducted with the senior
team and senior females
Report prepared and communicated
Focus group and one on one coaching
11. Unconscious Bias
What assumptions do we make about
others?
What we found?
What can we do to avoid it?
13. Retaining Talented Women in the
Workplace
Remove systemic obstacles
Barriers will be different for each
organisation
Encourage a culture of inclusiveness
– Important for women, the firm and
generational diversity
14. Retaining Talented Women in the
Workforce
Have gender neutral policies in place to
support the workforce
Understand and promote the value that a
diverse workforce adds to the business
and the bottom line
15. Strategically supporting a Work /
Life balance for successful careers
Understand the individual and what they
need
Have transparency around careers and
what needs to be achieved
Educate managers and staff
Promote the value of Team
Have meaningful conversations
16. Innovative Models for
Workplace Diversity: Gaining
Gender Equality in the
Organisation
Liz Ryan | Director, People & culture
Direct 61 3 9288 0516
liz.ryan@maddocks.com.au