Southern Cross Austereo has an unusual way of discouraging staff from taking maternity leave. Regional head Linda Wayman has revealed the company has a big jar of condoms to prevent pregnancy, adding that the concept of work-life balance is unreal.

The senior executive spoke at the Mumbrella Perth conference, wherein she gave her view on recruitment and employment. Bemoaning the fact that 35 percent of her staff are on maternity leave, Wayman disclosed the company’s solution to avoid such scenario.

“We do have a big jar of condoms at work,” she was quoted by Mumbrella as saying, adding that is not an exaggeration. “I do encourage people regularly to have sex with condoms. That is a big area of focus for me, encouraging people to have sex with condoms.

While she thought the union’s push to have new mothers retuning to work in a part-time setting is ideal, she didn’t agree with it, saying it’s an “anti-commercial stance.”

“There’s no such thing as work-life balance, it’s bulls---, you just do it,” Wayman declared, saying she has been in the position where she had to choose between work life and home life twice. She also revealed that their company has an “Angelina Jolie Award” for deserving staff who benefitted the most from other people’s pregnancy. “If women weren’t pregnant then she would not have got this turbo-charged career opportunity,” she referred to an employee who got the award named after the Hollywood star.

Her remarks drew criticisms online, with some commenters claiming Wayman lectured them on their reproductive rights. Her former employees, however, have jumped to her defence, describing the executive as supportive.

Perth TV reporter Lisa Fernandez told AAP she fell pregnant at the start of her two-year contract at Mix 94.5. “She said, ‘don’t even worry, we will make this work, we will help you all we can,’” Fernandez recalled. Wayman followed through with that promise, she added.

Meanwhile, Southern Cross CEO Rhys Holleran defended Wayman’s “tongue-in-cheek” comment. “Linda is one of our most highly recognised and awarded general managers,” he said in a statement. “She has exemplary records as one of Perth’s most compassionate advocates on all issues surrounding equality of women in the workforce.”