With the next mining boom looming, the industry will once again struggle to meet skills needed as the current generation boomers are set to retire. In order to meet these needs it is going to need to focus on what underutilised human resources - in particular women - want!_x000D_
Women comprise around 14 per cent of the mining workforce, compared with a 45 per cent participation rate in the work force overall. Within the industry, women still make up only one per cent of trades people, eight per cent of operators/production employees, 12 per cent of engineers and 11 per cent of executive management._x000D_
It may be worth pointing out that mining has an age profile skewed towards the older end of the spectrum. When it comes to employee retention, what women want may be a good starting point to examine, more broadly, what all employees might want (but are too afraid to ask!)._x000D_
Women in mining want the following: To be scrutinised for their work and performance, not their personal lives, appearance or relationships._x000D_
True pay equity. This is addressed at lower levels between companies but at professional levels the salary differentials begin to appear and little is done to identify why this continues to be the case._x000D_
Recognition and acceptance that women can have different work-styles, and that diversity of work-styles is an asset to be nurtured not a threat to be neutralised! Recognition that a more diverse workforce demographic that better reflects society at large will assist the company in its dealings with many diverse stakeholders from society at large._x000D_
For employers to recognise that a career break to accommodate caring responsibilities does not mean that an employee's commitment to progressing their career is any less than that of someone who has not taken a career break._x000D_
Similarly, for employers to recognise that working part-time for to accommodate caring responsibilities does not mean that an employee's commitment to progressing their career is any less than someone who works a more traditional roster._x000D_
Access to affordable and quality child care compatible with mining rosters in mining towns._x000D_
Zero tolerance for bullying and harassment, and workplace cultures that promote respect and safety._x000D_
This is an ABSTRACT ONLY no paper was prepared for this presentation._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Burgess, F, 2010. What women in mining want, in Proceedings Sustainable Mining 2010, p 295 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).