Women in media say the top concerns driving them to leave are lack of opportunities, pay, disengagement and not feeling challenged.
What would make them stay would be growth opportunities, better pay and flexible / secure work.
The Women in Media Industry Insight Report 2023, using responses from 263 participants, released today shows the majority of women (54%) continue to be either unsure or explicitly dissatisfied with the progress of their careers.
Facing an industry pay gap above the national average, nearly one-third of women are thinking about leaving their job, with nearly half of those in mid-career considering staying for no longer than 12 months.
Among senior women, more are considering changing than keeping their current role.
The annual survey is run by Women in Media, a national body with 600 plus members, and underpins the organisation’s mission to help women excel, learn, contribute, and connect.
It aims to draw attention to issues of importance to women working in the sector, which includes journalism, communications, production, advertising, marketing, public relations, publishing and digital media.
Three times more women in 2023 than 2022 cited limited access to training/development and mental health/stress as obstacles to career progress.
Dealing with bias/discrimination was five times more commonly cited as a factor for career stagnation year on year.
Women in Media strategic advisor Petra Buchanan says the survey puts a spotlight on employers and the media industry to act.
“We cannot ignore the consistent barriers faced by women in the media industry, as revealed by the Women in Media Industry Insight Report 2023. The findings highlight deep concerns about gender equality and a lack of industry support that continues to hinder women's career progress,” said Buchanan.
“The statistics speak volumes - with an entrenched gender pay gap above the national average and increased bias and discrimination, nearly one-third of women are considering leaving their jobs in media.
"It's a critical moment for employers and the media industry to step up; the departure of women from media is a loss society cannot afford.”
Key findings:
- 85% ( up 1% on last year) of respondents call for gender pay audits to be introduced to address the media industry’s entrenched higher than average pay gap.
- 63% (up 22%) call for shadowing programs to provide access to leaders and hands-on learning.
- 36% believe being engaged or challenged in a positive way is crucial to their career progress.
- 36% (down 4%) flag micro-learning to build digital skills.
- 54% (down 4%) continue to be unsure or explicitly dissatisfied with the progress of their careers.
- More than one in two women rate the media industry’s commitment to gender equality as "weak/very weak".
A chart from the report:
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