Section B
Issue 1: Do we train the pregnant woman?

Case Study: Limited Training Spaces

Sally had planned 3 one-day recruitment workshops accommodating 45 line staff most likely to be involved in recruitment across the various divisions. Told personally to ensure the training took place as soon as possible by the Australian MD, Sally had got the nod from Ian for her original plan. Each workshop had 2 paid specialist speakers; the rest of the day was to be run by herself. Well down the track, Ian noted that there had been no budget allocation for this work and was keen to cut the original costs she had envisaged. He told Sally to cancel the external venues and organise for the training to be done on-site. He then reviewed the list of 45 who had been earmarked to attend and reduced the number to 40, noting there would be 2 workshops only – ie 20 per session, and payment of speakers for 2 appearances only.

The 5 participants now not attending were the 2 most senior executives on the list, Ian himself, Regina Antesso - Sales Manager for Victoria who was 6 months pregnant and Jess Claxton, a senior fridge mechanic, currently on maternity leave, who was returning in 10 weeks to oversee the company’s existing apprenticeship program and planned vocational education in schools venture.

Sally sought an explanation as to how Ian had chosen the 5. Ian said “I contacted the 2 senior executives who said they really didn’t mind either way and were very busy”- an interesting position Sally mused to herself considering one of them oversaw the area from which the EO and Privacy complaints had emerged. “I think I need the training least, so I crossed myself off, and I consider training Regina a waste of time really as she is heading off to the land of nappies and bottles. Finally I know Jess was willing to come in for the training, but as she is still officially on maternity leave there’s no issue there about crossing her off”

Having strategically placed the exact 5 people on the program, mindful of both the subtle gender discrimination that occurred and the general executives view that they were very busy and didn’t need to know the finer details of such things, Sally left the room saying “Ian you just didn’t get it - when push came to shove commercial interests always take precedence to real cultural change.” As she made the required alterations to her participants list she wondered if the rhetoric and beautifully worded policy statements would ever be allowed to come to life and actually challenge the comfort zones that plagued true progress.

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