Most millennial men who want to support gender equality at work aren't held back by indifference, they're held back by risk.

The fear of getting it wrong, of being seen differently by their peers. Of saying something that lands badly, or backing someone in a way that costs them: reputationally, professionally, socially. Of stepping into a space that hasn't yet been made safe for them to do so.

And that perceived cost - whether it's real or not - sits quietly behind a lot of inaction.

In this episode, Tanya Andrews speaks with John Pynakker, an HR and People & Culture professional at Powerlink, who has spent his career navigating male-dominated industries while working at the sharp end of intentional culture change. He brings a grounded, honest perspective on what men are actually weighing up when they decide whether to speak up, and what it takes to shift that.

They get into the gap between what men believe privately and what they're willing to do publicly, how workplace culture shapes whether men feel safe to advocate without consequence, and why inclusive leadership is one of the most powerful levers we have - because when leaders get this right, standing up for gender equality stops feeling like a cost at all.

It continues the season's broader exploration: What does it actually take for millennial men to move from quietly agreeing to visibly acting, and what role do organisations and leaders play in making that possible?

Millennial men’s views on gender, leadership, and equality are shaped long before their careers begin: through family dynamics, schooling environments, peer groups, and the broader social context they grow up in.

For many, that means holding a mix of influences.

Traditional views sitting alongside more contemporary ones. Clear messages about respect and equality, but also exposure to environments where very different behaviours were normalised.

As they move into professional roles - particularly in male-dominated industries - those early influences don’t disappear. Instead, they begin to show up in how decisions are made, how people are treated, and how situations are interpreted.

In this episode of The Other Side of Here, Tanya Andrews speaks with Matt McCormick, a Structural Engineer and Practice Director at ADG Engineers, about how those influences play out in practice.

The conversation explores the moments that start to shift perspective, from being called out on everyday behaviours, to recognising differences in workplace experience, to reflecting on decisions that may have been shaped by unconscious bias.

It also highlights something often overlooked: the role of observation.

How simply paying attention to other people’s experiences, and being willing to question your own, can become one of the most powerful drivers of change.

Rather than presenting a polished or perfect perspective, this episode offers something more useful: a real-time view of how awareness develops, and how that awareness begins to translate into different ways of thinking and acting at work.

It continues the season’s broader exploration:

What shapes how millennial men understand gender equality, and how does that influence how they actually show up at work?

Millennial men are stepping into positions of influence at a unique moment in workplace history.

Many grew up during a time when conversations about gender equality were becoming more visible and widely accepted. Yet the workplaces they entered were often shaped by leadership norms and structures built by earlier generations.

As they move into leadership roles themselves, millennial men increasingly find themselves navigating a complex set of expectations - balancing inherited workplace cultures with evolving expectations around fairness, accountability and inclusion.

In this first episode of The Other Side of Here, Tanya Andrews speaks with Struan Wilson about what this moment looks like from the inside.

The conversation explores the small but meaningful choices that shape leadership in practice - from questioning assumptions in salary negotiations, to reflecting on decisions that may advantage some people over others, to actively seeking feedback when things don’t go to plan.

Rather than spotlighting “good men”, the conversation focuses on something more useful: how growth, reflection and accountability actually show up in real leadership moments.

It offers a thoughtful starting point for the season’s broader question:

What role can (and should) millennial men play in meaningfully advancing gender equality inside modern workplaces?