The majority of Australian employers favour employing single men, believing they are “less disruptive” to work costs and performance, according to recruitment management firm Kronos.
Almost three quarters (72 per cent) of employers in its latest survey said new parents were more likely to transition to part-time hours and need flexible work arrangements. Almost 40 per cent of employers favoured childless employees compared to 18 per cent that said workers with children were desirable.
Kronos said the survey revealed a bias towards single, unattached male workers and under-utilisation of a 'hidden workforce'.
Kronos, Asia-Pacific vice president Peter Harte said employers saw accommodating work/life balances as too costly or disruptive to team performance.
“Instead, businesses have an inclination toward employing those people that fit the mould of least disruption,” he said.
“As a result they’re missing out on a wealth of experienced talent that has to languish in the background because employers are unwilling to meet their needs and circumstances.”
From 500 business decision-makers, 76 per cent said they would like workers to be willing to put in extra hours, 57 per cent said they preferred employees to have unbroken employment records while 73 per cent rated ambition highly amongst employees.
Most employers believed dedication and commitment to full-time work were essential to achieving the best job performance while those lacking these qualities were deemed uninterested or unengaged.
According to the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (AIST), an $80,000 gap between men and women’s superannuation balances at retirement is in some part because women’s superannuation savings have flattened between the ages of 38 and 47 for the last decade due to time taken out of work and family commitments.
The Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, which comes into full effect in 2014-15, seeks to address some of these issues and includes compulsory employer requirements to report on six standardised gender equality indicators including the gender make-up of staff and board, equal remuneration and a commitment to flexible working practices that support workers with families.
The Federal government is also in the process of reviewing the paid parental leave scheme and introduced dad and partner pay in January.
“Businesses can no longer ignore the huge impact of work-life balance on employee productivity and performance,” Harte said.
“They must be more agile and flexible in accommodating the life changes of their employees, or risk losing out on the innovations and increased productivity that comes with the varied perspectives and experiences of a diverse workforce.”
