Diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Introduction

Diversity refers to the representation within an organisation. Examples of diversity include gender, age, ethnicity, neurodiversity, and physical ability. Inclusivity refers to how well people feel embraced by their organisation. For example, an organisation may be diverse on the surface, but it's not inclusive if only one group occupies the most senior roles.

Every organisation should strive to be diverse and inclusive, not only because it's the right thing to do, but also because it's the only way to reach a vast talent pool. Fortunately, with flexible and remote working becoming more commonplace, people who previously could not commute or work in noisy offices — for example, now have more opportunities to build the careers they want.

What laws cover disability discrimination?

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 treats discriminatory behaviour against people who live with a disability as unlawful.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has produced extensive literature describing its interpretation of the Act, including standards and guidelines. These contain information about the legal requirements regarding workplace accessibility and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

HR managers need to be aware of these requirements and keep up with any changes in legislation.

How to fund adjustments with Job Access

Peter Horsley is the founder of Remarkable, an inclusive technology accelerator that is an incredible offering from the Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

According to Horsley, “Employers get scared that the cost of making adaptations is going to be too expensive...because of the cost, they either avoid hiring people with additional accessibility needs, or they think that an accessible bathroom and a ramp are enough.” 

However, the government agency Job Access focuses on making employment more accessible and even offers funding to cover reasonable adjustments — while also offering cash incentives for businesses that employ people with disabilities. These funds cover a significant portion of their salaries. Moreover, Job Access offers employers resources to learn more about making their organisation more welcoming to everyone.

Avoid one-size-fits-all approaches

To gather some insight on how to foster work cultures that accommodate people with disabilities, we reached out to Cheryl Gledhill, founder and product manager of JobMatcher, a startup that uses AI to help organisations attract a more diverse and inclusive talent pool.

Gledhill explained, "HR managers can sometimes take a one-size-fits-all approach to workplace cultures...for some reason, they believe that Friday team lunches and ping pong tournaments are perks for everyone... the reality is that there are some people, including many who are neurodivergent, who don’t like those activities.”

A disability-friendly workplace culture ultimately depends on the HR manager’s awareness of the different types of disabilities and how to address them.

Approaching sensitive conversations

Employees are only required to disclose a disability if it affects their ability to perform their job or work safely with others. Many different types of disabilities don’t need to be disclosed as they don’t meet the above criteria. 

One key part of the employer or manager’s role is knowing how to respond to such a disclosure. The rule of thumb when it comes to conversations about disabilities is that managers should never ask the employee a question they wouldn’t ask anyone else.

For example, it's totally fine to ask the employee if they need any changes to be made in the workplace so that they can do their job. On the other hand, asking what medication they take or if they can perform their job is inappropriate.

Of course, everything relating to the person’s discussion with you must remain completely confidential. It can only be passed on to others if the manager has written consent from the employee.

How can technology increase inclusion?

Technology has been a game changer for workplaces, and HR managers have been utilising some of the latest tech solutions.

“Technology has been an incredible enabler of people to work, communicate and thrive in workplaces...tech tools like speech to text, screen readers, video conferencing with real-time captioning...as well as solutions that allow someone the flexibility to work from home where they can receive all the support they need to do their job.” — Horsley, founder of inclusive technology accelerator Remarkable.

"Video conferencing technology is beneficial for supporting those with neurodivergent disabilities...the ability to work remotely and attend all meetings through video conferencing has changed the face of workplace inclusiveness as it allows people to work from somewhere that is comfortable and accommodating for them while still allowing for face-to-face communication.” — Cheryl Gledhill, founder and product manager of JobMatcher.

How to support an inclusive workplace

Job Access highlights the core requirements that HR managers must fulfil to maintain the highest standards of workplace inclusion.

Here are some of the key requirements:

• Create an internal committee of managers and employees who are devoted to promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Celebrate key dates that raise awareness for people with disabilities ­— like International Day for People with Disability (on 3 December every year).
• Develop a tailored disability employment support plan that addresses the individual needs of people with a disability in the workplace.
• Ensure that the workplace evacuation plan includes specific instructions for employees with a disability.
• Create policies that promote flexible working arrangements so that employees with disabilities can choose to work from a place of their choice.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg. If you're an HR manager looking to learn more about creating an inclusive workplace environment, the Human Rights Commission and Job Access websites are excellent resources.

Furthermore, it's essential not to forget about procedures that support employees' mental health to ensure they don't feel overwhelmed or anxious — especially if they have just returned to work.

Diversity and inclusion attracts new talent

By creating a workplace that gives people with a disability the comfort and confidence to join your ranks, your business can attract some of the world’s most talented people.

Recruitment is one of the fundamental pillars of business because an organisation’s people and culture determine its achievements and operations.

Moreover, implementing a reward and recognition strategy is a great way to show that you value your employees and appreciate their hard work and effort.

Don't forget recruiting people is just the first step. You must keep them engaged and motivated if you want them to stay.

How can Perkbox help?

Because of its accessibility, Perkbox is an excellent solution to help you meet your diversity and inclusion goals. Your employees don't need to be in the office or even in the same country to take advantage of what Perkbox offers.

From recognition to wellbeing and perks, all features live on an easy-to-use app that can be accessed on both desktops and mobile devices.

Moreover, because all your benefits and offerings can be added to Perkbox, employees don't need to read several documents to understand what they're entitled to. This gives them a better employee experience and improves your ROI.