JB Hi-Fi says low turnover in middle management roles are a major obstacle in its push to improve the number of women in its company, as it fails to achieve gender equity targets set out in 2012. However, the retailer is reportedly set to turn this around with an action plan with part time and flexible work practices and regular pay reviews.
“In the context of a historically male-dominated consumer electronics industry, this has posed challenges for achieving change in the short term,” JB Hi-Fi reportedly said.
In the past three years, the number of female senior managers has gone backwards and the representation of women has improved by a mere 1% on the sales staff measure. However, women appointed to regional and area manager roles jumped to 9% in the 12 months to 30 June 2015.
Despite recruiting former Pacific Brands and Just Group executive Wai Tang to the board in August, which doubled the number of women on its six member board, just two of JB Hi-Fi’s 24 senior management roles are filled by women, according to the company’s 2015 annual report.
JB Hi-Fi has taken action making some alterations to its remuneration packages for this financial year, including the introduction of a share component to the short-term incentive. The executive pay bill also fell from almost $11 million in 2014 to $8 million for the 12 months to June 30 this year.