All in Diversity and inclusion
Our workforce is changing rapidly - it is more diverse and representative of a range of cultures, and this is particularly the case amongst caregivers and nurses. This panel discussed how the aged care sector can engage and work productively with migrants and enhance relationships with all employees, while delivering quality care for residents.
In answering this question, you may be tempted to think about tripping hazards, workplace accidents or health and safety standards. But how often do you think about psychological safety? Psychological safety relates to the organisational or team climate and how safe people feel in speaking up and bringing a different perspective into the discussion. According to Edmundson (2015) a psychologically safe team is one in which the members feel that the environment supports interpersonal risk-taking – the kind of risk we feel when we have an idea or thought that is not necessarily shared by others and we are contemplating speaking up.
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) initiative to tackle harmful sexual behaviour in the workforce has taken out the top award at the 2018 Diversity Awards NZ. The NZDF has rolled out mandatory Sexual Ethics and Respectful Relating (SERR) training to its 11,000 personnel since June 2017, aiming to create a workforce that is both empowered and prepared to address harmful sexual behaviour.
The Diverse Thinking Capability Audit of New Zealand Boardrooms 2018, released last week by Mai Chen, Founder and Inaugural Chair of the Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business, has emphasised how diverse thinking around the board table is essential to improving the performance of companies and organisations.
The report launched by Finance Minister Grant Robertson, gathers insights, guidance and advice from over 60 top Chairs, Directors, and governance professionals about how best to attract, retain, and leverage diverse thinkers in the best interests of the company or organisation.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) staff came together for the Inaugural Vice-Chancellor Diversity Awards to acknowledge the diversity initiatives of eight awardees at the Auckland Art Gallery last week. The awards celebrated AUT’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, embedding everyday diversity and saluting work by the University’s staff in the diversity space. AUT Director of Diversity and event organiser, Professor Edwina Pio, added, “Many here will resonate with the echo of myriad memories, of inconvenient doubt, of stumbling, of passing the baton, of broken dreams, of fulfilling dreams and of grit and endurance. We do diversity every day and I privilege hope and compassion as the heart of diversity.”
Consider this: Of the 60 new constables that graduated from the Royal New Zealand Police College last week [from Wing 317], 38 percent are females, 19 officers were born overseas and between them speak around a dozen foreign languages. The youngest recruit is 19 and the oldest is 45. One has the distinction of playing in the Ranfurly Shield-winning Hawke’s Bay rugby team, another is a fine musician who has performed with the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. There are former members of the armed forces and others who have done valuable volunteer work in the Fire Service, Search and Rescue teams, surf lifesaving and for Women’s Refuge.
The biennial Viva Eclectika Intercultural Music and Dance performance is presented by New Zealand Asia Association (NZAA) Incorporated. With the Late Right Reverend Sir Paul Reeves as its Patron, the association has been presenting the event for over 10 years now. In recognition of NZAA’s outstanding contribution to diversity in Aotearoa New Zealand, it was presented by the New Zealand Diversity Action Award in 2014, by the then Governor General Sir Jerry Mateparae. This year the event was held on July 28, in Auckland.
As diversity consultants, we get the opportunity to work with a range of private and public sector organisations, many of whom are at different stages of evolution when it comes to D&I practice. For the last couple of months, we have been fortunate enough to work alongside the Department of Conservation (DOC) to deliver Unconscious Bias Awareness Training.
