Architecture firms' gender pay gaps revealed

Australia's Workplace Gender Equity Agency (WGEA) published gender pay gap data for more than 5,000 private employers with 100 or more employees for 2022-23, which includes architecture and landscape architecture firms.

The data collected by the agency on individual employers is released for the first time, after reforms passed parliament in 2023.

Federal minister for women Katy Gallagher said, "The release of employer gender pay gaps marks a historic step towards transparency and accountability in addressing gender inequality."

The data indicates the national workforce composition is 51 percent women and 49 percent men, while the upper pay quartile is composed of 35 percent women and 65 percent men.

The national median total gender pay gap across the whole workforce sits at 19 percent, however 50 percent of all employers have a gender pay gap of more than 9.1 percent.

The data also found that across the nation 30 percent of employers had a median gender pay gap within the target range between -5 percent and +5 percent.

Among the architecture and landscape architecture practices that reported data to the WGEA, none were within the target range, nine had greater gender pay gaps than the national average, and all but two practices are among the 50 percent of employers with a gender pay gap of more than 9.1 percent.

Group GSA had the lowest gender pay gap of 5.6 percent, while Mode Design had the greatest gender pay gap at 26.9 percent.

Table: ArchitectureAU. Source: Workplace Gender Equity Agency's 2022-23 Employer Census.

One of seven large practices (Billard Leece Partnership) of the Champions of Change Architecture Group is close to parity in the gender composition of the upper pay quartile. The Champions of Change members aim to increase women's representations at the highest levels of the profession.

"All employers should be aiming for a gender pay gap within +/-5%. This range allows for normal business fluctuations and employee movements, while signifying that an employer has a focus on identifying and addressing inequalities and is taking action to ensure there is gender equality throughout an organisation," said WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge.

"Particularly for those employers whose gender pay gaps are higher than their industry peers, publication of the results today is a catalyst for action and change.

"The gender pay gap is a widely used, internationally recognised measure for gender equality. Publishing employer's gender pay gaps brings transparency to those employers who have low median gender pays gaps and those that don't.

"The time for talk and excuses is over. Change takes action and employers need to double down on ensuring all employees are fairly represented and equally valued and rewarded in their workplace."