WGEA Gender Equality Targets are Coming in 2026 – Here’s What Smart Employers Should Do Now

If you employ 500+ people, you’ve probably already heard the headlines: WGEA gender equality targets are coming. 

But what’s worth paying attention to isn’t just the compliance requirement, it’s what these changes signal about where workplace expectations are heading in Australia. 

From 2026, employers captured under the legislation (known as Designated Relevant Employers) will be required to select and commit to three gender equality targets, with at least one being numeric. Employers will then have three years to either meet the target or demonstrate improvement against it.  

Setting you up for Success 

One of the most important (and refreshing) features of this reform is that WGEA has designed the targets model to be flexible and achievable. 

Employers can choose from a menu of 19 action and numeric targets, and they can nominate their own improvement amount (for example, a percentage point shift).  

And importantly: progress counts. Even if you don’t fully “meet” the target, demonstrating improvement over the three-year cycle can still be considered compliant.  

What targets are on the menu? 

The menu spans the full gender equality ecosystem (not just pay gaps). 

Targets include options across: 

• Gender composition (workforce, managers, promotions, pay quartiles, governing bodies)  
• Equal remuneration (closing pay gaps, pay equity policy improvements, analysis and reporting to the governing body)  
• Flex work, parental leave and carer supports (including increasing uptake of primary parental leave by the under-represented gender)  
• Employee consultation on gender equality issues  
• Sexual harassment and discrimination (policies and reporting mechanisms to leadership)  

The real shift: gender equality as a leadership and governance issue

One of the strongest messages from WGEA is very clear: gender equality is not just an HR responsibility. 

They describe a “coalition of influence” across: 

• CEO / Executive 
• HR / DEI teams 
• Managers 

…with each group having a defined role in embedding gender equality into strategy, decision-making, hiring, leadership development, performance frameworks and day-to-day management.  

This matters because the employers who will do this well are the ones who treat it like a business transformation, not an HR compliance exercise. 

What smart employers should do now  

Even if you’re not a 500+ employer, these reforms are a clear sign of what it will soon take to be an employer of choice in this space and smaller businesses can absolutely leverage the resources. 

Here’s what I’d recommend organisations start doing now: 

1) Get clear on your baseline

WGEA will assess progress by comparing your final year results to your baseline year. 

So, the earlier you understand your baseline, the easier it is to select realistic, meaningful targets. 

2) Don’t guess

The best target-setting starts with a comprehensive analysis that identifies “hot spots” such as: 

• cohort-based pay gaps 
• gendered attrition patterns 
• gender differences in promotions into leadership 
• part-time work being heavily gendered 
• gender differences in appointment rates across levels 

Without this analysis, targets can become surface-level or unintentionally misaligned. 

3) Choose targets that drive real change

The strongest approach is to link targets to practical levers like: 

• talent and succession planning 
• performance evaluation process reviews 
• embedding job-share and part-time into recruitment 
• improving parental leave and increasing uptake by men 
• improving pay equity policy and accountability  

4) Treat consultation as a strategic step, not a tick-box

WGEA emphasises consultation as part of the process: identifying stakeholders, drawing on employee experience, and building knowledge at key touchpoints.  

In practice, consultation is often the difference between a policy that exists on paper, and a change that actually sticks. 

Final thought 

The organisations that get the most value from these reforms won’t be the ones who simply aim for compliance. 

They’ll be the ones who use this as an opportunity to: 

• strengthen leadership capability 
• build more inclusive systems 
• reduce avoidable turnover 
• improve talent outcomes 
• and create workplaces that people genuinely want to stay in 

If you’re preparing for WGEA targets in 2026 or simply passionate about equity at work, Harrisons would love to help. Reach out and chat to us about: 

• Gender equity analysis 
• WGEA reporting 
• Consultation on Target Setting 
• Leadership training 
• Policy establishment/review