Equal Employment Opportunity
Network of Australasia

Key initiatives

Australasian Diversity and Equality Surveys

Since 2003 EEONA has conducted the Australasian Diversity and Equality Survey (ADES) on a biannual basis.  The aim of the survey is to investigate where best practice EEO/diversity organisations are on the journey to diversity and equality, how the current status compares to the position in previous years, and opportunities for improvement.

2008 Findings

Background

In 2008, the Equal Employment Opportunity Network of Australasia (EEONA) released its finding from the most recent Status Report on Diversity and Flexibility.  The research surveyed 48 diversity practitioners representing nearly ¼ million employees, and was made up of government (29%), private (46%) and community (17%) organisation in Aust and NZ.  This report consolidates the hands-on experiences of members responsible for implementing diversity in their organisation and provides practical insights into creating inclusive workplaces.

Diversity findings

The key findings of the research in relation to diversity were:

1. increasing evidence that diversity is being integrated into the business and is perceived as being part of “business as usual”; 84% of organisations now measure diversity as part of regular employee surveys and there is greater inclusion in mainstream management training;
2. a change in the focus of diversity programmes towards age, Indigenous Australians, work/life and flexibility, and away from disability; and
3. a lack of metrics designed to hold managers accountable for diversity and flexibility outcomes.  In 2005 72% responded that the organisation held managers accountable for diversity outcomes, and this dropped to 30% in 2008.  This may indicate a lack of confidence in creating diversity metrics for managers by HR practitioners and a lost opportunity to focus managers on diversity and reward performance.

Survey respondents were asked to rate the importance of each of ten expected outcomes for their diversity/EEO strategy.  The “expected outcomes” rated most highly in 2008 were (i) retention (90%); (ii) recruitment (85%); (iii) stature/reputation in the community (75%); (iv) to be an employer of choice (75%); (v) maximising the performance of existing staff (75%); and (vi) corporate social responsibility (75%).

Flexibility findings

In relation to flexibility, the key findings were: (i) building managerial knowledge, confidence and skills is key to closing the gap between flexibility policy and practice; and (ii) managers need flexibility as well as their employees.  For the best practice organisations having a flexibility policy (which provides a statement of commitment to flexibility) and offering a range of flexible work practices, is a given.  This means that offering flexibility is no longer a differentiator in a tight labour market.  Moreover, as the majority of respondents (81%) rated the effectiveness of their policies as average, or below average, it means that the value of these policies is not being fully realised in terms of bottom line benefits.

The EEONA research found, positively, that the majority of respondents promote and encourage flexibility (71%), and that approximately two-thirds of managers are strongly supportive of flexibility and committed to implementation.  However, the practical implementation of flexibility is inconsistent (only 28% of respondents agreed that flexibility is implemented consistently across their organisation) and that managers struggle with implementation (only 35% of respondents agreed that managers have sufficient confidence to manage difficult implementation issues).

In order to gain a deeper level of insight into the strategies to help bridge the flexibility policy/practice implementation gap, EEONA compared the responses of high performing organisations (in terms of flexibility), with low performing (based on the organisation’s own self assessment).  In this way, EEONA was able to distinguish key strategies, from a broad range of initiatives, that are critical to effectively implementing flexibility: management commitment, managers being role models for flexibility and using flexibility themselves and ensuring that managers have the skills and knowledge they need to implement flexibility.

Recommendations

Five change strategies to improve the diversity/flexibility outcomes for organisations outlined in the report included:

1. Link diversity to core business outcomes, not just employment outcomes (eg attraction/retention).
2. Develop actions/initiatives based on data about the full range of diversity dimensions.
3. Implement and resource sophisticated strategies which go beyond high level programmes and policies.
4. Build diversity specific accountabilities and rewards for managers.
5. Equip and support managers to implement flexibility.

2005 Findings

Key findings from the 2005 ADES are:

1. Best practice organisations are heading in the right direction on the journey towards equality and diversity, but there is still a significant gap between EEO/diversity strategies and outcomes;
2. Best practice organisations have made a clear case for diversity driving employment and reputation outcomes, but not central bottom-line business benefits;
3. Even in best practice organisations, diversity programs are not diverse and prioritise women, harassment, caring responsibilities and disability ahead of religion, nationality and race;
4. Age diversity - is the new black, but has not yet generated the level of interest and action it requires; and
5. To move diversity front and centre, organisations need to improve managerial accountabilities, and measure bottom-line business outcomes.

For a full copy of the ADES reports email Juliet Bourke.

2003 findings

Key findings from the 2003 ADES results:

1. We've got the strategies, but not the practices;
2. We are more focused on external appearance, and less focused on real benefits;
3. The business case and legal pressure are the main drivers, but one size does not fit all;
4. Our diversity programmes are not diverse
5. We can improve managerial accountability for diversity/EEO outcomes

The 2003 ADES argued that a model of best diversity practice should include the following components

1. Develop a strategy
2. Allocate high level group responsibility
3. Appoint an EEO/diversity manager
4. Integrate into business processes
5. Hold managers accountable
6. Recognise the competitive advantage
7. View social justice and personal leadership as key drivers
8. Target diverse groups
9. Introduce measures relating to customer satisfaction, service provision and diversity scorecards
10. Introduce mentoring, succession planning, work redesign and regional conference initiatives

TOCC

TOCC was established late 2003 and in February 2005 the Taskforce launched a policy paper (Creating Choice:  Employment and the Cost of Care), which included findings from a national random sample survey.  The survey found that many workers with caring responsibilities (for children, elders and people with a disability) are forced to chose between work and care:

• 1 in 4 workers with caring responsibilities is likely to leave the workforce because the cost of care is too high;
• 1 in 4 workers with caring responsibilities has already reduced their hours of work because the cost of care is too high; and
• 35% of workers with caring responsibilities would increase their hours of work if care was more affordable.
• TOCC supporters include Aequus Partners, ASX, ANZ, Australian Women Lawyers, the Bar Council of NSW, Blake Dawson Waldron Lawyers, BlueScope Steel, the Equal Employment Opportunity Network of Australasia, Ernst & Young, Freehills, Hewitts, IAG, ING (Australia), Jones Lang LaSalle, the Law Society of NSW, McDonalds (Australia), the NSW Equal Employment Opportunity Practitioners Association, Orijen, Qantas, Reuters, Rialto Consulting, the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Talent Management Australia, Toyota, Wee Wunz, Westpac Banking Corporation, Women’s Council of the Liberal Party, Women in Finance, and the Women Lawyers Association of NSW.

A key focus of the 2005 Report was on demonstrating the connection between workforce participation and the cost of care.  TOCC is currently undertaking a formal 2006 Review of actions taken to address the 2005 findings, as well as to identify any new developments which have arisen over the past year in relation to the cost of care.

In order to undertake this review TOCC is:

1. administering two random sample national surveys - one of workers with caring responsibilities, and one of the unemployed with caring responsibilities.  In part the surveys will ask questions about the perceived impact of the 30% child-care rebate on workforce participation choices;
2. undertaking an international comparative analysis of initiatives to address cost of care issues in similarly placed countries (eg Canada and New Zealand); and
3. macro-economic modeling on a revised "working model" of financial treatments..

A key focus of the 2006 Review is on developing a solution (or "financial treatment") to alleviate the cost of care and therefore to increase workforce participation rates of carers.  To this end we have developed a "working model", which represents an evolution in our thinking since we proposed a rebate simpliciter in 2005 as the appropriate solution.  In essence this working model is a combination of the rebate we proposed last year as well as Fringe Benefits Tax, both of which are capped.  We have developed this model in light of our three key goals namely, equity, sustainability and choice.