Dismantling The Parental Wall
Macquarie University Research Partnership
Research into the impact of The Grace Papers Empowerment Model.
Create a culture where careers and families thrive
“Our Government is working to build a fairer Victoria that values the paid and unpaid contributions of working parents by supporting gender equality interventions to affect real change. Grace Papers’ program proves that when we support employers to value care and entrench flexibility, we can create a culture where careers and families thrive.”
The Hon. Gabrielle Williams
The Background
In May, 2020, we released the results of an 18-month research evaluation project conducted in partnership with Victorian Office for Women and Macquarie University that validated the impact of the Grace Papers platform on employees balancing caring responsibilities.
The research, “Dismantling The Parental Wall”, came as a result of a pilot program funded by the Victorian State Government and sought to assess against 16 indicators, the attitudes and behaviours of the 350 participants across the Victorian Public Service, entering parental leave.
Participants in the pilot program who accessed the Grace Papers Program and Leadership System as a key means of support, were found to have measurably improved workforce participation, career advancement and economic security, as well as better management of workplace flexibility.
The Findings
While the findings were wide ranging, of the 350 participants in Grace Papers Project, Macquarie Researchers found:
- 70% of participants gained a better understanding of how to initiate, control and manage their career transitions.
- 78% of participants felt more confident to approach their manager about career related issues including parental leave and flexible work arrangements.
- Participants identifying as LGBTIQ+ or culturally diverse experienced higher gains from the Grace Papers platform.
- Attitudes measured revealed an urgent need for workplaces to mandate line manager literacy to address the impact ambition bias has on the careers of those who take parental leave and access flexibility.
- The Grace Papers platform supported an increasingly positive perception of gender equality policies and workplace culture in the Victorian Public Sector – both for women and men.
- Further promotion and encouragement of the interventions, and improved and/or equal access to paid parental policy entitlements are required to increase the take-up of parental leave entitlements and flexible work arrangements by fathers.
A substantial increase in confidence
“Confidence is by far the biggest and most positive increase among any of the measures tracked – what we’re seeing is that pre-program, employees were only moderately confident in areas such as approaching their manager for support and planning their parental leave journey whereas post-program, there’s a substantial increase in confidence.”
Raymond Trau
Lead researcher at Macquarie University
Explicit statements on inclusion for all people
“Survey data tells us LGBTIQA+ people will naturally edit “ themselves out of policies, network groups or workplace benefits and entitlements when it’s not explicitly stated that they are included. So, it’s important that organisations provide explicit statements on inclusion for people of diverse genders, sexes and sexualities within all policies”
Dyllyn Tierney – Origin Energy
Julie Moss shares how Transgrid’s balanced Primary Care options promote well-being and support for all, with more men than ever taking parental leave or accessing flexible work.
In collaboration with the Office for Women Victoria and Macquarie University we have proven, for the first time, that when workplaces improve their flexible work arrangements, return to work experiences or parental leave, they can close discrimination gaps and improve workplace gender equality.
Find out how Grace Papers partnered with Australia’s biggest employer, helping them improve gender balance and leverage the full potential of their workforce – whilst managing compliance, reducing discrimination and boosting their reputation as an organisation that values care.
