Australia is one of the most diverse nations, with a multicultural society made up of several different ethnicities. Almost one in four Australians are born overseas, and many are first-generation Australians. The diverse background of these residents has created a unique and inclusive society.
The sundry cultures penetrate into Australian workplaces as well. People of different ethnicities work together and establish a harmonious work environment that ensures success and growth. Research shows diversity can increase productivity levels by 35% as a diverse team brings new ideas to bear and are able to point out inefficiencies through diversity of thinking.
The Australian national and state laws offer equal employment opportunities and anti-discriminatory policies to support diversity and inclusion. It is illegal in Australia to discriminate against employees or candidates based on their:
- Race
- Colour
- Religion
- Gender
- Sexual Preference
- Marital Status/ Pregnancy
- Family Responsibilities
- Political Inclination
- Ethnicity
Being a multicultural society, almost half of the Australian population is culturally and linguistically diverse.
As an employer, you can benefit from a variety of perspectives and experiences. It can also help you with:
- Understanding multicultural local and global audience
- Personalized and language-based customer service
- Reach wider market segments and networks
- Go across geographic boundaries
Employing People with Disabilities
People with disabilities can work in all industries and different job roles. Research highlights that people with a disability tend to:
- Take fewer days off
- Stay longer in jobs
- Have less compensation-related accidents
- Act as a strong liaison with customers
- Boost teamwork and morale of other employees
Therefore, you should prepare your workplace to hire people with disabilities to improve accessibility. Changes that you should focus on are:
- Improving workplace environment
- Enhance the accessibility of car parking and sanitary facilities
- Having a flexible work arrangement
Government-backed policies to support employers for hiring people with disabilities include:
Disabled Australian Apprentice Wage Support: employers receive this incentive on hiring disabled individuals
Job Access: portal offering advice on hiring people with disabilities
Wage Subsidies: help employer to pay wages and training cost for the first few months
Supported Wage System: support disabled employees who are unable to perform at the same level as other workers.
Government-backed policies to support employees for hiring people with disabilities are:
Employee Assistance Fund: cover cost of equipment and workplace adjustments
Job Access: provides information to disabled employees of potential employers and job opportunities
Disability Employment Services: get the training and support to adjust in the current workplace setup
Work Assist: supports disabled individuals to overcome challenges.
Employing mature aged people
Mature and experienced workers often have a greater knowledge of business practices and work ethics. They also have more skills with higher proficiency level, thus can help your business:
- By offering a newer perspective to business operations
- Enhance work performance and functionalities
- Cover up skill or knowledge gaps within your business
- Mentor new talent
Research has shown that mature workers save your working capital with lower absenteeism rates, increase business productivity and adapt to new technologies faster. Check out the Department of Education, Skill, and Employment to find government support in hiring aged employees.
