Dell runs an equitable workplace

The Hon Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women, and the EOWA has congratulated Dell for creating better balance in the ICT sector. Dell Australia's Vice President and Managing Director, Joe Kremer, was recognised as one of Australia’s Leading CEOs for the Advancement of Women by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) at the 2009 Business Achievement Awards.

Kremer was among an impressive calibre of finalists including CEOs from Woolworths, University of Technology Sydney, St Aidan’s Anglican Girls School and ETSA Utilities.

The award recognises the achievements of local CEOs who lead by example through personal commitment, drive management accountability for action, create an inclusive workplace culture, deliver improved outcomes for women and the business, and go the extra mile for the advancement of women.

The award category had five finalists drawing from a range of industries including retail, automotive, education, hospitality and utilities. Dell is the only IT company represented as a finalist across any of the eight award categories.

Kremer believes that incorporating equal opportunities into Dell’s organisational strategy is essential, not only to the cultural success, but also to the financial success of the business. This focus and a commitment to attracting and retaining female staff has seen the creation of mentoring and development programs, increased employee benefits and increased workplace flexibility within Dell Australia.

Mairi Steele, EOWA Director, said job-sharing, part-time hours, work-from-home options and improved parental leave allowances have been championed by Kremer and top-down support of flexible work options has driven participation in these work arrangements.

“Family friendly behaviour is modelled at all levels of the business and not at the expense of career progression. Kremer’s supportive management style has also been critical to targeting talented senior women and mentoring them through to executive ranks,” said Steele.

Kremer also founded and drives Dell’s Women in IT Executive Mentoring (WITEM) program, which is designed to accelerate the development of leadership skills in women outside of Dell across the IT industry. Kremer has actively recruited more than 70 mentors from across Australia’s leading commercial and government organisations. They mentor women from within the IT profession and from industries spanning retail to banking to professional services and manufacturing. WITEM is aimed at creating greater awareness and understanding of the barriers to women’s advancement across the ICT sector and profession.

The EOWA is a statutory authority located within the portfolio of the Australian Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA). EOWA’s role is to administer the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Act 1999 (Commonwealth) and, through education, assist organisations to achieve equal opportunity for women.