From “I have no idea” → “Submission complete”

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Part 1: Understand what you’re responsible for

If this task has landed on your desk, your role is to coordinate and complete the full WGEA reporting process for your organisation.

In practical terms, this means you will need to:

✔ Collect workforce and pay data from internal systems such as HR and payroll

✔ Submit that data through the official WGEA Employer Portal

✔ Set 3 gender equality targets based on WGEA guidelines

✔ Get formal approval and sign-off from senior leadership (including the CEO)

✔ Notify employees once the report has been submitted

👉 It’s important to understand that this is a legal compliance requirement, not just an internal HR initiative or optional reporting exercise.

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Part 2: Where you actually do the work

All reporting is completed through the WGEA Employer Portal, which is the official system used by organisations across Australia to submit their reports.

👉 Access the portal here:

https://portal.wgea.gov.au/

👉 Step-by-step lodging guidance:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/what-we-do/workplace-gender-equality-reporting/lodging-your-report

If you don’t already have access, you may need to:

• Request login details internally, or
• Register your organisation with WGEA

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Part 3: What you need to submit (simple breakdown)

Your submission is made up of several parts, all of which must be completed accurately to meet compliance requirements.

1. Workforce data

You will need to provide a breakdown of your workforce, including:

• Total number of employees
• Gender split across the organisation
• Job levels or classifications
• Employment types (full-time, part-time, casual)

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2. Pay data

You must submit detailed pay information, including:

• Base salary
• Total remuneration (including bonuses and incentives)

This data is used to calculate your organisation’s gender pay gap.

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3. Policies and practices

You will be asked to confirm whether your organisation has policies in place, such as:

• Flexible working arrangements
• Parental leave policies
• Gender equality or diversity policies

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4. CEO / Executive statement

A formal statement from your CEO or equivalent is required to confirm:

• The report is accurate
• Leadership is aware of and supports the submission

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5. NEW: 3 Targets (2026 requirement)

From 2026 onwards, you must also include three gender equality targets, which outline how your organisation plans to improve over time.

👉 Full reporting guide:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/reporting-guide

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Part 4: The new 2026 requirement (targets)

A major change in 2026 is that reporting is no longer just about sharing data — you are now expected to show how you will improve your results.

You must select three targets from WGEA’s approved list.

👉 Target list:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/gender-equality-targets

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Important rule (don’t miss this)

Out of the three targets you choose:

• At least one must include a measurable number

This ensures your organisation is committing to real, trackable progress rather than general intentions.

Examples:

✔ “Reduce gender pay gap by 2% over the next two years”

✔ “Increase women in leadership roles to 40% by 2027”

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Part 5: Who you need internally (don’t skip this)

This process involves multiple parts of the business, so it’s important to engage the right people early.

You will typically need:

• HR / People team → to coordinate the process and provide workforce data
• Payroll / Finance → to supply accurate pay and remuneration data
• Leadership team → to review and approve targets
• CEO (or equivalent) → to provide formal sign-off

👉 If you try to do this alone without involving these stakeholders early, you are likely to face delays close to the deadline.

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Part 6: Your step-by-step action plan

Week 1: Get organised and understand your starting point

✔ Step 1: Access your last report

👉 https://www.wgea.gov.au/data

• Search for your organisation
• Download your most recent report

Review it carefully to understand:

• Where your organisation is performing well
• Where there are gaps or risks

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✔ Step 2: Download the official templates

👉 https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/reporting-templates

These templates show exactly how your data must be structured before submission.

👉 Share these with your HR and payroll teams early so they can prepare the data correctly.

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Week 2–3: Gather and prepare your data

✔ Step 3: Collect workforce data

From your HR system, gather:

• Headcount
• Job levels
• Gender breakdown

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✔ Step 4: Collect pay data

From your payroll system, gather:

• Base salary
• Total remuneration

⚠️ Important:

Make sure the data aligns with the correct reporting period, as WGEA requires consistent and accurate timeframes.

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Week 3–4: Choose and define your targets

✔ Step 5: Identify your key gaps

Focus on areas such as:

• Gender pay gap
• Leadership representation
• Hiring or promotion trends

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✔ Step 6: Select your 3 targets

👉 https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/gender-equality-targets

Choose targets that:

• Address your biggest gaps
• Are realistic for your organisation
• Have leadership support

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✔ Step 7: Write your targets clearly

Use this simple structure:

What you will improve + By how much + By when

Example:

“Increase women in management from 30% to 38% by 2027”

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Week 4–5: Get approvals and finalise

✔ Step 8: Present to leadership

Clearly explain:

• These targets are mandatory
• There are compliance and reputational risks if not completed

👉 Compliance info:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/what-we-do/workplace-gender-equality-reporting/compliance

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✔ Step 9: Obtain CEO sign-off

This is a required step before submission and confirms the report has been reviewed at the highest level.

👉 Submission requirements:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/what-we-do/workplace-gender-equality-reporting/submit-a-report

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April–May: Submit your report

✔ Step 10: Enter and upload everything in the portal

👉 https://portal.wgea.gov.au/

• Upload completed templates
• Enter policy details
• Add your targets

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✔ Step 11: Submit before the deadline

👉 Reporting dates:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/what-we-do/workplace-gender-equality-reporting/reporting-dates

The deadline is typically 31 May, so plan backwards to avoid last-minute pressure.

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Part 7: After submission (don’t forget this)

✔ Step 12: Notify employees

You are required to inform employees that:

• The report has been submitted
• They can access the information

👉 Employee notification rules:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/what-we-do/workplace-gender-equality-reporting/employee-notification

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✔ Step 13: Wait for your compliance outcome

WGEA will review your report and either:

• Confirm compliance, or
• Request corrections

👉 Compliance results:

https://www.wgea.gov.au/publications/compliance-results

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Final takeaway

If you’re completely new to WGEA reporting, don’t try to do everything at once.

Focus on this sequence:

1. Understand your data and current position
2. Identify your biggest gaps
3. Choose 3 realistic targets (including 1 measurable)
4. Get leadership involved early
5. Submit everything on time and follow the process properly