Transformation in the workplace, specifically as it pertains to gender equality, has been an ongoing issue in South Africa. As August is national women’s month, TrendER/infoQuest, a leading online South African research supplier, conducted a survey with working women to assess their perceptions of the progress made in this regard. The research was conducted at the beginning of August 2023 and 160 employed women were interviewed across all industries and all job levels.
Decision-making in the workplace
One in two (51%) women believe that the decision-making power of women in the workplace has improved, while 64% claim that in their organisations women are empowered to make important decisions. Older women (50 years and older) and those earning higher salaries are more likely to be positive about women’s roles in the decision-making process.
Workplace opportunities
About half (49%) of women felt that they were given the same opportunities as men in the workplace. This leaves 34% who disagreed and 17% who did not commit to a positive or negative opinion. Women in the 35–49 year age category were more likely to agree with this statement than those in other age categories.
Remuneration
Women earning higher incomes were more likely to agree that women and men are remunerated equally for the same job, however, only 52% of the overall sample agreed with this.
Senior level positions in the workplace
62% agreed that women are being employed in more senior jobs than they were before, which is a positive result overall.
Transformation
About 2 in 3 working women agreed that transformation is taking place in the companies they work for, with the remainder not committing to an opinion or disagreeing.
‘The journey towards achieving gender equality in the workplace is ongoing, with women still facing some disparities,’ says Mogorosi Mashilo, MD of TrendER/infoQuest.
‘The economic argument for gender equality in the workplace is compelling. Women constitute a significant portion of the country’s talent pool. When women are given equal access to education, training and job opportunities, they contribute significantly to economic growth. Fostering women’s participation in the economy is not just a matter of social justice; it’s a matter of sustainable development.’
