Women’s workloads are increasing and they are working additional hours just to get their job done, according to the largest survey of Australian working women.
Nearly three in five women report they work additional hours on a regular basis, and two in three women reporting they almost always or often feel rushed or pressed for time.
The survey raises important questions about women and work, according to Nadine Flood, national secretary of The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), which conducted the survey.
“The impact of budget pressures and staffing cuts in the federal public service are being felt by women who are working too many hours just to get their job done,” she said.
“Budget pressures are also affecting access to training – one in three women who were unable to access training reported that it was due to budgetary pressures, workload constraints or staffing constraints.”
The survey of more than 13,000 women also found two in five women have experienced customer aggression at work in the past year.
The figure was higher for women working in service delivery roles such as the Department of Human Services agencies Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support where nearly three in four women have experienced customer aggression.
“Workplaces should be safe for employees allowing everyone to do their jobs properly,” Flood said.
“Customer aggression in the workplace, particularly for women in service-delivery roles, is a significant issue that is threatening the safety of women at work. Further action to manage this risk and protect employees is required.”