Maureen Frank, founder of Emberin and a truly sphinxx leader, has penned an article in this month's Dynamic Business Magazine about Why women can have it all! Frank reports that with paid parental leave due to start in 2011, businesses need to help their female staff plan for their time off and help them come back to work afterwards.  

"Many women don’t make it to board or senior executive level because they choose motherhood over advancing their careers", says Frank.  "This choice also leads to a reduction of their own financial independence and economic security, with them existing on lower incomes and lower superannuation."  Research shows this is sadly also contributing to the creation of a growing gender gap in society, with female poverty statistics in Australia at an alarming level.

Earlier this year, the Australian Government finally committed to a paid parental leave scheme, to come into force in 2011, going some way to helping women take time out to have a baby. "Hats off to the Government", says Frank. "They’re at least putting their money where their mouth is."  

Frank points out in her article that some Australian organisations have been ahead of the game for a long time, offering paid maternity leave and other flexible workplace incentives. "These organisations are the female-friendly ones" she says, and as a result they have solid senior women executive numbers at higher levels to their industry peers.

Click here to read the full article.