The Geelong Times Issue #254 1 September 2010

Girls just want to have work

The workplace has come a long way since the sitcom days of the 1950s and 60s when men went to work and women stayed home to cook, clean and care for the kids. Those women who did work were mostly employed in the textile trades, hairdressing, secretarial or retail positions, while the then small percentage of professionally employed women gravitated towards nursing or school teaching. But in recent decades an increasing number of professions once dominated by men now comprise an equal share of the sexes. Some have even become dominated by women.

Mikarla Perisic, a senior partner in the Moorabool Street law firm Perisic Thomas Lawyers, said that during her last year at Deakin University in 2005 the male-to-female ratio was one to three. Females make up about 60 per cent of the intake for journalism studies at Deakin, and even more for public relations. For medicine it is 70 per cent female dominated.

However, a 2008 Australian Institute of Management (AIM) study found that while just over 50 per cent of university graduates in Australia were women, the fairer sex comprised less than 15 percent of the executive ranks of the nation’s major companies. This is one of the inequities in the workplace discussed by the Geelong branch of Business and Professional Women (BPW). The international organisation began in the 1920s as a platform to recognise women in the workplace.

Diane Dahm, president of the Geelong branch, says the organisation has evolved since then, yet the battle for equal rights still goes on. The organisation has declared September 4 as Equal Pay Day with PBW research showing that professionally employed women have to work 66 days for no pay to achieve wage parity with men in similar positions. "There’s an 18 percent difference [in pay] for men and women. For women GPs it’s even greater."

Once a month for the past three years members from BPW have gathered for a breakfast or dinner to network, mentor younger professionals and investigate relevant issues. At one luncheon a research team raised awareness of the cost of family violence to the business community, while an East Timorese woman visiting Geelong to learn English, business skills and strategies to prevent and assist her in preventing family violence within her community was introduced to the women.

While there are 65 Geelong members Geelong’s BPW, the last breakfast had 320 women attend. Ms Dahm believes women do approach work differently than men. "I think women are a little more focussed on detail than men, and are better communicators and networkers. But men have their strengths. I think they’re more decisive, which makes for a good balanced workplace."Perisic Thomas lawyers

Female interest and a mother’s sensitivity are evident in the waiting area of Perisic Thomas Lawyers. Family law cases comprise much of the work for the Moorabool Street company, hence the stack of OK magazines and issues of Shop Till You Drop on the coffee table and the bucket of children’s toys next to the couch.

Ms Perisic sees advantages in the all-female practise, "especially in the type of cases we have. Having a male here would make us less accessible." And yet, says the co-senior partner "our client base is fairly even by male/female split." Her co-partner Christine Thomas says an all-female company has never been company policy. "People are employed here based on their ability to get the job done. We had a male here doing work experience once but when we advertised our last job [for a personal assistant] there were no male applications." As mentioned, Ms Perisic said girls far outnumbered boys in the Deakin law lectures and tutorials.

Ms Thomas says a male employee might be perturbed by the all-girl dynamic of open communication, particularly when "women’s business" is being discussed. "There’s a real sensitivity to these issues in the office because we understand each other’s needs. I don’t know if we’re all in [hormonal] sync’ but there are very all-female issues we can deal with because we’ve got the [female] culture here." For those male readers confused by this, there are documented cases of women working in close environments whose hormonal patterns align with each other. The women are also aware of their vulnerability, and ensure there’s always another staff member present when meeting clients after normal office hours.

The staff are also aware of the difficulties in juggling jobs and families. "Most of us have families," says Ms Thomas, "and we have a family-friendly environment. It’s why I work part-time." Of late they’ve broadened the family network to include each other holding dinner parties. "We had a bash at my place the other week," says Ms Thomas, "and it finished at 4am. The boys were allowed to that."Studio 47

Silversmith Lorraine Archibald once shared a studio with several other artists including Nin Coutts-Slater and Jenny Clipperton, but says the men there "were a bit anti-social and wanted enclosed spaces." When forced by their landlord to look elsewhere they settled on the upstairs floor of 47 Malop Street. Lorraine says they looked for a three others to share the studio and rent but "There were no guys seriously interested. I don’t think there was one guy in the art classes at the Brougham school five years ago." And so six female artists have found themselves in the one open space (Two were absent for our photo shoot).

Nin says the open environment issue was never discussed, but in that feminine way of agreement, it just transpired. It’s the same with necessary supplies. "We don’t even discuss who gets the toilet paper or dishwashing liquid." The openness of the studio allows the ladies to observe each other’s work, from Annita Rae’s paintings to Jenny’s clothes or Nin’s recycled textile designs. Jenny says the other girls make a point of complimenting the outfits her clients come to try on. They all go to each other’s exhibition openings and provide feedback on works-in-progress.

The ladies generally have lunch at the same time on the same table where, Nin says, the discussion is often quite personal, delving into relationships or feelings. As such the six are also supportive in times of need. "We all bought Annita flowers when she went to hospital last year, and kept sending her text messages," said Jenny. "You certainly have a concern for others here." "And you want them to pay the rent," laughs Lorraine. "We don’t want to offend anyone and send them running."Salon Symmetry

Like men, women also talk about the going to the footy, but for one of the seven girls employed at Salon Symmetry in Pakington Street, the issue was more about Etihad Stadium’s roof and spectator comfort than Bartel’s elbow or Podsiadly’s poor form. An advantage of an all female staff, says salon owner Mary Posterino, is that "Females can relate to females on everyday issues and have similar interests like general gossip and fashion." Mary says the girls will discuss personal matters, but not extensively with customers constantly within earshot. "But we definitely know what’s going on in each other’s lives."

"I think men generally have a more competitive nature," says Mary, although she adds that hairdressing is a competitive industry as a result of staff being able to closely observe each other’s work. "If someone sees someone do something they haven’t seen before they’ll ask ‘How did you do that?’ I don’t know if that’s because we’re female but we feel comfortable asking that."

Mary says an all-girl environment can get "catty or bitchy" but that’s been avoided by diligent employment choices. "We have a couple of different personality types, some dominant and some easygoing. If personalities clash then that’s a problem, if they’re all "out-there" types or the other way around. So I’ve been a bit picky about who I employ." Men make up about one quarter of the salon’s customers and, Mary says, there have been a few male applicants in the three years she’s run the salon, but none who suited the particular position advertised. "I’ve got nothing against men – that’s just how it’s turned out."

Equal employment rights mixed with cultural changes have meant that jobs are no longer for the boys. In fact, there are some workplaces where there are no jobs for any boys. Ian Kenins visited a few.

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