Mergers, management changes and unfriendly work-family practices were the main reasons behind women leaving the workforce today a new survey has found.

The survey of 44 bank workers in Australia found that despite the popular assumption that professional women ‘opt out’ of the workforce to focus on family – “choosing to forgo top management aspirations to fulfill the traditional role of homemaker” - it was unlikely to be the main reason for their departure. 

“Many departures can be attributed to unfriendly and even discriminatory work practices that occur amid organisational change and masculine cultures,” says Associate Professor Isabel Metz, from the Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne. 

“This understanding suggests that companies might be able to retain professional women with policies and practices that better manage transitions due to organisational change – i.e. restructures – or personal change – i.e. maternity leave.”

A full media release is available at http://newsroom.melbourne.edu/news/n-155.