More than a third of women working in Australia’s media industry are considering leaving their jobs, as new research shows career dissatisfaction for women has hit a record high.
Women in Media released its annual Industry Insight Report on Monday, revealing the majority of women working in media are dissatisfied or unsure of their career progress.
The levels of career discontent in this year’s report has reached a three-year high, with respondents to Women in Media’s survey pointing to concerns about pay and the lack of promotional opportunity as the reason for their dissatisfaction with their careers.
Petra Buchanan, the research author and strategic advisor at Women in Media, made several recommendations to improve women’s experience in the media industry, including a commitment to gender equality, clear pathways to promotion, access to upskilling and better managerial support.
“These results underscore the critical and urgent need for industry-wide systemic change, starting with a firm commitment to gender equality and addressing the above-average gender pay gap,” Buchanan said.
“This change must include providing fair compensation, ample growth opportunities, and a safe, supportive work environment so that women remain in the media and transition into leadership positions.”
What are the findings?
More than half (57 per cent) of the women who took part in Women in Media’s research said they were unsure or explicitly dissatisfied with their career progress, a three per cent increase from last year’s report.
Career discontent was largely felt by early-career women (47 per cent), while almost half (49 per cent) of women with between five to 10 years’ experience said they are not progressing in their career as desired.
Meanwhile, more than a third (35 per cent) of women are considering leaving their jobs in the media industry. This was particularly felt by senior and mid-career professional women in media.
There were several drivers of career dissatisfaction that the report highlighted. On a broader level, the lack of progress in gender equality is a significant driver: more than half (56 per cent) of respondents held a negative view on the industry’s commitment to gender equality.
Career stability and progression are also key drivers to career discontent: 58 per cent of respondents were concerned about better pay, 58 per cent were worried about the availability of senior roles, 47 per cent were concerned about the lack of promotional opportunities, and 25 per cent were in fear of being made redundant.
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to grow within the industry, almost half (46 per cent) of respondents want to prioritise learning how to use the technology.
While more than a quarter (27 per cent) believed they needed to be engaged and challenged in a positive way for career progression, almost half (48 per cent) were concerned about budget cuts and a lack of resources to make that happen.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women in the Information Media and Telecommunications industry experience a 9 per cent average weekly earnings pay gap, compared to their male counterparts. About 69 per cent of respondents in the Women in Media Industry Report called for gender pay audits to address the pay gap.
You can read Women in Media’s full report here.