When COVID-19 forced research institutions into rapid, unplanned remote work in 2020, many scrambled to respond. For The Kids Research Institute Australia (The Kids), it became a turning point.
That journey has now been recognised with The Kids’ first SAGE Cygnet Award, marking meaningful progress on one of the most persistent barriers to gender equity in STEMM workplaces: consistent, fair access to flexible work.
SAGE CEO, Dr Janin Bredehoeft spoke to The Kids achievement with this Cygnet Award: “Flexible work is one of those areas where the gap between policy and practice can be enormous. The Kids has invested years in closing that gap and the data shows it’s making a difference, particularly for women and carers.”
From goodwill to policy
Before the Institute’s 2020 SAGE Bronze Award, flexible work existed largely on goodwill. Staff could negotiate arrangements with individual managers, but there were no formal policies.
A 2018 internal Gender Equity Survey revealed that while most staff valued flexibility in principle, only 54 per cent felt it was applied equitably across the organisation. Women were notably less confident, just 45 per cent felt practices were applied consistently, compared to 56 per cent of men.
As a result of the pandemic, The Kids introduced its first formal Working from Home Procedure in 2020, establishing clear approval pathways, defined responsibilities for both employees and managers.
What the numbers show
Staff satisfaction with workplace flexibility has increased by 23 per cent over six years, trending upward across every survey cycle since the 2020 procedure came into effect: 73 per cent in 2019 77 per cent in 2023, and a striking 90 per cent favourable response in the Institute’s 2025 engagement survey.
In 2025, The Kids transitioned to a new survey provider with benchmarking capability. The Kids rated five percentage points above the national benchmark for Australian Medical Research Institutes on flexible work support, with women rating their experience four points higher than their national counterparts.
Listening beyond the numbers
In 2025, The Kids conducted a number of focus groups to understand how flexible work was actually being experienced on the ground. The picture that emerged was largely positive, and productively honest about what still needs work.
Participants described flexibility as central to their wellbeing, productivity, and sense of belonging. Researchers valued the focus time that working from home afforded.
Parents and carers described arrangements that let them attend school pickups, manage health appointments, and “fit life into work” without compromising their contributions.
“I feel I can succeed in both my jobs as an employee and as a parent. I am able to manage what has to be done at any given time.”
Staff with disability, chronic health conditions, and neurodivergent needs highlighted flexibility as essential to their participation and sustainability.
Continuing to embed systemic change
The 2025 focus groups also pointed to opportunities to create more consistent access to flexible work, especially for staff in laboratory and clinic-based roles, where flexibility can be harder to achieve than in desk-based positions.
In October 2025, The Kids updated its policy framework with a new Remote and Flexible Work Procedure, broadening scope beyond home-based work, explicitly including accessibility considerations and ergonomic assessments.
Seven further actions are now underway, including dedicated focus groups to explore intersectional experiences among carers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, and people with disability.
Why flexible work matters
The Kids Executive Director, Professor Jonathan Carapetis, said flexible work is fundamental to building a modern, inclusive research environment.
“Flexible work is not just about where people work – it’s about creating an environment where our people can thrive while balancing the realities of life outside work,” Professor Carapetis said.
“As a research institute, we know that attracting and retaining talented people depends on building a workplace that is inclusive, equitable and responsive to different needs and experiences.”
The Kids’ Cygnet story is a detailed, evidence-based account of what it actually takes to shift flexible work from aspiration to practice: years of iterative policy development, sustained data collection, honest acknowledgement of what isn’t working yet, and structural investment in manager capability.
The gender equity implications are well-established. Inconsistent access to flexible work disproportionately affects women, particularly those with caring responsibilities, and constrains career progression at every level of STEMM organisations.
Getting flexibility right, not just on paper but in practice, is foundational to building research environments where everyone can contribute fully.
About the SAGE Cygnet Award
SAGE Cygnet Awards celebrate organisations that have demonstrated progress in making their workplaces more equitable by removing or reducing a barrier to inclusion. They must be able to show that these changes have had a real impact on staff and/or students.
This builds on The Kids Research Institute Australia’s Athena Swan Bronze Award in 2020.
You can read all about the actions, outcomes, and impact in their full Cygnet Award Application, or read an overview version in this Progress and Impact Summary.
About SAGE
Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) is Australasia’s leading advocate and accrediting body for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the education and research sector. It is the guide our region’s brightest minds turn to when they want a vibrant workplace where everyone can thrive.
Using an evidence-based and impact-focused framework, SAGE helps institutions build systemic, structural, and cultural change. Their world-respected Athena Swan accreditation program drives and measures institutions’ progress against international benchmarks.
