DEVELOPMENT programs for female employees of Southcorp Wines have attracted the attention of the Federal Government’s Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) and earned the company a place as a finalist in the EOWA’s inaugural business achievement awards.
Southcorp’s ‘Succession Planning Process’, aimed to assist and develop all employees, has led to the creation of a list of 28 ‘Women With Potential For Advancement’.
Managers of each of the women are required to report twice a year on how the company, including specially allocated funding, had sponsored the development of the employee.
A ‘Career Development Program for Women’, to assist female employees in areas including balancing work and lifestyle, networking, addressing career barriers and mentoring, has produced laudable results resulting in increased responsibility for 45 per cent of participants.
Southcorp’s human relations manager Barbara Thorne said the programs not only helped the company to develop talent and to save on recruiting and training new staff, but also improved morale and motivation.
Sixty-four percent of Southcorp’s employees are women. Last year women comprised 65 per cent of company staff who were promoted.
Alcoa World Alumina Australia chief executive officer Michael Baltzell has also been listed as a finalist in the EOWA’s business achievement awards, in the category ‘Leading CEO for the Advancement of Women’.
