Gender and Sexuality at Work

Purpose

This conference has been designed to bring together talent from academia and the broader public and private sectors (both for-profit and not-for-profit) to participate in respectful, professional and rigorous debate about gender and sexuality at work.

We aim to learn from each other, to find better ways to work together in building the knowledge base required to address gender and sexuality at work in healthy and productive ways.

In 2022, the theme of the conference is Accelerating Gender and Sexuality Inclusion at Work. Our knowledge of what works to enhance workplace inclusion is becoming increasingly sophisticated. In this iteration of the conference, we want to continue to explore a wide range of research about gender and sexuality at work, while focusing on what the evidence tells us can be done to accelerate gender and sexuality inclusion at work and in organisations.

Learn more

Why participate

As presenters, you will have the opportunity to:

• showcase your research, which may be especially beneficial for Early Career Researchers and Higher Degree Research students
• receive early feedback from peers with shared research interests
• develop new research partnerships
• connect with other academics
• discuss the implications of your research to the broader community and pitch your research ideas to potential partner organisations.

Dr Victor Sojo, Dr Melissa Wheeler, and Professor Michelle Ryan are editing a Special Issue for the Australian Journal of Management (ABDC Journal Ranking: A; Impact Factor: 2.42) about “Accelerating Gender and Sexuality Inclusion in Organisations”.

Academics submitting their short papers for the conference will receive developmental feedback and will be invited to submit a full paper for the special issue to go out for blind peer review. You can also submit a full paper for consideration and blind peer review directly to the special issue.

If you want to develop a case study showcasing strategies to accelerate gender and sexuality inclusion at work, please reach out to us at gsw-conference@unimelb.edu.au to discuss how to curate it and submit it to the special issue for consideration and blind peer review.

Read more about the special issue here.

Additionally, the Australian Journal of Management and the Melbourne Social Equity Institute are co-sponsoring two Best Paper Awards to recognise the best submissions from (1) one Early Career Researcher and (2) one Higher Degree Research student. These awards will be based on the assessments of expert reviewers of the papers and of the Academic Executive Committee.

HDR Students and ECRs who are supervised by the conference organisers or members of the Academic Executive Committee are strongly encouraged to submit their research for presentation, however, they will not be eligible for either award.

As delegates, you will have the opportunity to:

• have first-hand access to cutting-edge research
• discuss the implications of new knowledge to your practice
• connect with academics and other professionals who have similar interests
• help shape the discussion on improving the quality of research in gender and sexuality at work
• support a professional, evidence-based and respectful space to advance scientific knowledge on social equity at work.

Conference Code of Conduct

The purpose of this conference is to bring together individuals from academia and the broader public and private sectors. We aim to learn from each other and work together to build the knowledge base required to address gender and sexuality at work in healthy and productive ways.

We are committed to creating an environment that encourages the free and respectful expression and exchange of ideas. Our Code of Conduct has been established to facilitate this aim, ensuring that all participants – including delegates, speakers, staff, volunteers, partners and sponsors – can engage in professional and rigorous debate about gender and sexuality at work.

The organisers are committed to equality of opportunity and treatment for all conference participants, regardless of sex, gender identity, race, ethnic origin, religion, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disabilities, or any other reason not related to scientific and professional merit.

Scope of this Code

This policy applies to all stakeholders associated with the 2022 Gender and Sexuality at Work Conference, including presenters, attendees, partners, sponsors, conference staff, contractors and any other stakeholder interacting with the conference directly or indirectly (e.g., via social media).

Expected Behaviours

• Treat everyone with respect, dignity, fairness, and courtesy;
• Communicate openly and thoughtfully with others and be considerate of the different views and opinions expressed during the sessions;
• Be respectful in your critique of ideas;
• Be considerate towards fellow conference participants.

Code Breaches

All participants of the Gender and Sexuality at Work Conference will enjoy an environment free from all forms of discrimination and harassment, which undermine the integrity of the conference and will not be tolerated. Attendees who breach this Code of Conduct will be expelled from the conference.

Key definitions:

Sexual harassment comprises unwanted sex-related verbal or physical behaviours (e.g., sexist jokes, sexually suggestive comments, quid pro quo, verbal sexual advances, sexual assault) that the targets find offensive, humiliating, intimidating or threatening to their individual or occupational wellbeing (Sojo, Wood & Genat, 2016).

Harassment on the basis of any other protected characteristic is also strictly prohibited. This conduct includes, but is not limited to the following: epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; denigrating jokes and display or circulation of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group; disrupting sessions or speakers in a disrespectful manner (European Association of Social Psychology, 2022).

Discrimination refers to bias or prejudice resulting in a denial of opportunity, or unfair treatment in conference activities. Discrimination is practiced commonly on the grounds of age, disability, ethnicity, origin, political belief, race, religion, sex, or any other factors that are irrelevant to a person's competence or suitability (European Association of Social Psychology, 2022).

Disciplinary Actions

Individuals who breach this Code of Conduct will be subject to disciplinary action. Such actions range from a verbal warning to exclusion from the conference and, in some cases, the reporting of their behaviour to their employer.

Reporting an Incident

Any individual who feels that they have been subjected to harassment or discrimination before or during the conference should immediately inform the event organizers of the incident, Dr Victor Sojo, Dr Melissa Wheeler or Professor Michelle Ryan at gsw-conference@unimelb.edu.au or via the conference chat. You can also reach out to the conference moderators in each session of the conference via private message in the conference chat. We will use all reasonable precautions and endeavour to protect the anonymity of persons reporting violations or potential violations.

We are here to support you as a bystander, target, or involved party and are committed to listening to and addressing your concern.

Consulted Bibliography

European Association of Social Psychology (2022). Code of Conduct. Retrieved from https://www.easp.eu/events/coc/

Sojo, V., Wood, R., Genat, A. (2016). Harmful workplace experiences and women’s occupational well-being: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 40 (1), 10-40. doi:10.1177/0361684315599346

Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (2022). Discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.humanrights.vic.gov.au/for-individuals/discrimination/

To download this Code of Conduct, click here