Women face more ‘negative behaviour’ than men in the profession, research finds

A work in progress

Chief executive Ainslie van Onselen (pictured) said this data revealed the importance for firms to continue addressing negative behaviours, no matter the victim.

“First and foremost, to prevent harm being done to people, but to also ensure our profession is safe and inclusive, so it can appeal to a broad pool of talent,” she said.

Based on its findings, women accountants were found to experience a greater incidence of negative behaviours compared to men accountants, with 2.6 times more reports of sexual harassment, 1.6 times more reports of bullying, and 1.6 times more reports of being unfairly spoken over.

Alarmingly, the research revealed that one in five women respondents working in corporate Australia indicated that they were likely to leave their current industry due to a lack of inclusion, and/or discriminatory experiences.

The majority of provisional CA ANZ members are women (51 per cent), and 43 per cent of CA ANZ members are women. This reveals that the “demographic sands of the profession are shifting,” van Onselen said.

Ongoing areas of concern

Over three in four respondents said that their firm values diversity of thinking, background, and experience with a commitment to creating an inclusive workplace culture, it found. In addition, accountants who felt a sense of belonging and were valued reported higher levels of job satisfaction.

“While reports of discrimination have decreased overall, significant concerns also remain with member groups experiencing ageism, LGBTQIA+ exclusion and sexism,” van Onselen said.

This finding proves that inclusion is good for accountants and firms; however, despite overall declines in discrimination, ongoing areas of concern included ageism, LGBTQIA+ exclusion and sexism, she added.

“Although ageism is more commonly reported by older respondents, there has been a spike in younger people reporting they have experienced it, particularly in Australia where 18 per cent of women aged 18-34 say they have experienced it.”

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Compared to the general population, some groups remained underrepresented in the accounting profession, it found.

According to its stats, only 0.44 per cent of CA ANZ members are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, while 3.31 per cent and 1.78 per cent of members are Maori and Pasifika, respectively.

CA ANZ will continue to support and attract Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Māori and Pasifika talent to the profession as a “key initiative in our new organisational strategy for the next three to five years,” van Onselen said.

“Given our strategic aspiration to be a magnet for diverse talent, CA ANZ will continue to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives alongside key technical competencies.”

Through partnerships, advocacy, and culturally informed education, CA ANZ would achieve its strategy to support and empower a new generation of chartered accountants, she added.

Nearly 60 per cent of respondents supported the CA ANZ’s prioritisation of “least one diversity, equity and inclusion initiative”, with education, advocacy, and practical tools being the most supported areas, CA ANZ revealed.

This support was strongest among women and younger respondents, it found, “reminding us that our future depends on creating a workplace where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.”