Once the hiring surge settles, once leadership stabilises, once the cracks become visible.
hipages chose a different path.
As Australia and New Zealand’s number one platform connecting homeowners with tradies, hipages Group is creating meaningful impact to the trade industry. Along the way, the team recognised that real transformation doesn’t start with platforms or products. It starts with people, and with building systems that support them as they grow.
One of those systems is Empower Women in Leadership — hipages’ internal leadership program for women, and one of the clearest ways the business turns intention into action.
Designed to help women build confidence, capability and connection as they step into leadership, the program reflects how hipages approaches inclusion more broadly: intentionally, honestly and with room to learn. While the program is anchored within hipages, it also extends outward, welcoming women outside the organisation, including First Nations women and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
That realisation shaped a deliberate shift where inclusion would be something they designed for and continued to redesign as the business evolved.
Today, that intent shows up in lived experience, not in polished statements.
For Sonali Tharwani, Engineering Manager and Empower Women in Leadership program graduate, growth didn’t begin with confidence.
“The program gradually allowed me to silence the inner critic and overcome imposter syndrome. I started looking at every challenge as something I haven’t quite figured out yet. But I will.”
That shift, from doubt to possibility, is the kind of impact hipages aims to create. Not through slogans or statements, but through structures that make growth feel achievable. That safety matters, especially in tech.
Sruthi Soundarapandian, Senior Data Analyst, describes a culture shaped by curiosity rather than competition.
“I’m grateful to be surrounded by people who are passionate about technology and creating a positive impact in the tradie industry. For me, growth has come from staying curious, embracing challenges and learning from others. It’s inspiring to be part of a community that supports inclusion and innovation.”
That sense of community doesn’t happen by accident. hipages embeds inclusion into everyday structures; from how people are hired to how they’re supported through change.
Parents, for example, aren’t expected to navigate major life transitions alone. hipages offers 14 weeks of paid parental leave for primary carers, four weeks for secondary carers, and Keeping in Touch days designed to make returning to work feel supported, not rushed. Flexibility is treated as a baseline, not a benefit.
That philosophy extends beyond family life. Every employee also receives two paid volunteering days each year — recognising that purpose doesn’t stop at the office door, and that community impact is part of meaningful work.
But inclusion isn’t just about policies. It’s also about confidence and who helps you build it.
Georgia Lang, Lead Product Designer and Empower Graduate, 2025, describes growth as something collective.
“Recognising my weaknesses and seeking advice when I’ve had gaps, while playing to my strengths and keeping a growth mindset, have been key to my growth. Everyone has something to teach you.
For Veronica Zheng, Senior Data Engineer and Empower Graduate, 2025, support has shaped both her career and her leadership philosophy.
“As a woman in tech, I feel lucky to have been surrounded by inclusive, supportive environments — something I hope to help create for others. The Empower program reminded me that everyone’s journey is different, and there’s no single ‘right’ path.”
For Cynthia Tang, Principal Product Designer and Empower Graduate, 2024, that space was transformative.
“The Empower program helped me feel seen in my journey toward becoming a leader. It gave us the chance to connect with other women leaders in a vulnerable, open and safe space — where we shared struggles, received validation and guidance. The program truly lived up to its name.
That growth translates into real outcomes. Nearly a quarter of the program’s participants have been promoted during or after completing the program — a clear signal that development at hipages leads to opportunity.
Jean Bilbrough, Principal Software Engineer and Empower Women in Leadership program Graduate, 2023, reflects on the impact beyond technical skills.
“The program gave me the opportunity to practise skills I wouldn’t have focused on by myself,” she said. “It helped me learn how to balance work and life — and accept how important that balance is to being successful.”
These individual stories sit alongside measurable results:
hipages has achieved an overall median pay gap of just 2.3%, and women make up 32% of technical roles and 48% of people leaders. The board reflects gender balance and is led by a woman Chairperson.
But numbers only matter if they’re felt.
In meetings. In career conversations. In moments where people decide whether it’s safe to speak up. In fact, 95% of hipages Group employees say they are treated fairly regardless of gender, race or sexual orientation. And the way people describe their workplace is consistent: Supportive. Safe. Human.
Recognition has followed, including being named WORK180’s number one Endorsed Employer for Women; but hipages doesn’t treat inclusion as a destination.
It’s a practice.
One that requires listening, adjustment and the willingness to keep learning.
Because workplaces don’t change by accident, they change when leaders design for real lives — and when people are supported not just to succeed, but to become who they’re still figuring out how to be.
What would work feel like if it was built with you in mind?
Explore hipages Group’s employer profile to learn more about their inclusive benefits, policies and opportunities.
