Whitehorse News - March 2022

Breaking gender bias in the workplace

International Women’s Day is Tuesday 8 March.

This year’s theme is ‘Break the Bias’. Whether deliberate or unconscious, gender bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough – action is needed to level the playing field. Whitehorse’s Executive Manager of Transformation Siobhan Sullivan and Director of Community Services Lisa Letic have encountered gender bias throughout their careers in getting to where they are today. As part of Council’s executive leadership team, they are passionate about continuing to help make positive changes.

Siobhan Sullivan

Siobhan joined Whitehorse in 2021. As Executive Manager of Transformation, Siobhan’s role is to lead her team in supporting Council to continually improve the way it delivers services to the community.

“I meet with Councillors and staff to seek feedback on how we can improve the customer experience, I take action on any community feedback and work with my fellow executives to drive the direction of our transformation strategy and future.”

As is the case for many women, Siobhan has encountered gender bias throughout her working life. “Almost every woman I have met has experienced it in some form. It’s often subtle because it’s so ingrained in our society,” she said. “Part of the problem is that women alone can’t change it. It has to be both men and women working against those who perpetuate this bias. This is something I am really passionate about, and I know my fellow executive are too.”

Siobhan believes education is important, in addition to calling out bias in our everyday lives. “It’s often not something people do consciously – for example, making a comment like ‘you throw like a girl’ might seem harmless, but it makes the assumption that girls are inferior. That might not be your intent, but the small things add up.”

“It shouldn’t just rest on the person experiencing it – we have to name it and call it out when we see it, and stop accepting it as part of our culture.”

“Council’s role, and my role as a leader, is to educate our staff and community on what gender bias is and how to eliminate it.” Her advice for women in the workplace and beyond is to back themselves and surround themselves with a supportive team. “Everyone has value, regardless of gender, race or age.”

Lisa Letic

Lisa joined Whitehorse as Director of Community Services nearly six months ago, bringing 30 years of experience in local government. “In my role, I support my team so they can deliver a comprehensive suite of services to the Whitehorse community. These include Community Engagement and Development, Health and Family Services, Home and Community Services and Arts and Leisure,” she said.

“We advocate for the needs of the community and help Council to inform their decisions in the community’s best interests.” Throughout her career, Lisa has also been faced with challenges related to her gender. “When I returned to work after going on maternity leave, my role or portfolio would significantly change,” she said.

“This was probably for the organisation’s convenience, but it was a consequence of being female and needing to go on maternity leave.”

“I dealt with this by taking it as an opportunity, using the skills I developed in one role and transitioning those to learn about a new sector, and contributing in different ways to the organisation. Having that initiative helped me get to where I am today.” Lisa’s advice to working women is to know your worth – studies have found that men are more likely to negotiate for things such as a better pay rate, for example. Women add just as much value to the workplace and should feel confident to negotiate for better conditions that will allow them to strike a good work-life balance.