Executive coaching organisation Stephenson Mansell Group consultant Janet Horton says women are not being heard in the media, with men quoted 79 per cent of the time in general news, and women quoted only 13 per cent of the time in business news.
“When the only voices we hear in our media sources are from men, women lose their say in the public debate and have little defence in the court of public opinion when their organisation is under threat,” Horton says.
She says women often feel uncomfortable in the spotlight and in voicing opinions, and fear greater scrutiny than men and increased backlash.
Horton says if women want to raise their profile in the media they must do their research on which journalists cover their area of interest, make contact, establish trust, attend networking events and public speaking, stick to an expertise, be prudent about what is on the record and stay timely.
SHOW US THE MONEY
Recruitment firm Hays says 45 per cent of professionals intend asking for a pay rise in their next review, with another 24 per cent considering it.
In the latest Hays annual salary guide, 75 per cent of employers expect business activity to increase during the next year, with 45 per cent planning to increase staff, and 65 per cent expecting skills shortages to affect business operations.
Hays says when requesting a rise, employees should prepare a list of recent achievements that exceeded job objectives, list the benefits of results, research comparable salaries, and request a review. It also suggests having a fallback position, such as locking in a further review in six months.
FINANCIALS FLUSH
Specialist recruiter Robert Half has found 97 per cent of chief financial officers plan to award pay rises to their finance staff this year, with 30 per cent of workers expected to receive a rise 6.6 per cent above public sector averages. Australian workers lead international expectations, where only 26 per cent of finance workers in New Zealand expecting a rise during the next year. Twenty-two per cent expect a rise in Singapore, Britain and The Netherlands, 19 per cent in Switzerland, 18 per cent in Germany and 17 per cent in France.
Senior managing director David Jones says Robert Half’s 2017 salary guide found finance employees with information technology and automation skills will be able to command higher starting salaries.
“Pay rises for high-performing staff within the finance sector are indicative of positive business sentiment, and our on-the-ground research about starting salaries also shows optimistic year-on-year salary increases for numerous roles within many areas of the finance department,” Jones says.
GIVE ME A BREAK
Management and finance software company Xero says Australians have accrued close to 111 million days of unused annual leave in the past year, with more than half the nation’s workers failing to take their accrued annual leave.
Of those who have not taken leave, 51 per cent are small business owners, and 45 per cent do not take leave at all.
The report found many small business owners at least take weekend mini-breaks, with 64 per cent going on a holiday in the past six months, and 37 per cent in the past three months.
Xero Australia small business director Anneliese Urquhart says Australians need to adopt the “short yet meaningful” travel trend. “Taking a mid-year break can be an ideal way to shift the focus from day-to-day tasks and reset personal or career related goals for the year ahead.”
