{"id":24991,"date":"2024-05-29T15:20:18","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T05:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecareers.com.au\/?p=24991"},"modified":"2024-06-04T09:16:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-03T23:16:53","slug":"learn-about-workplace-inclusivity-this-national-reconciliation-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecareers.com.au\/learn-about-workplace-inclusivity-this-national-reconciliation-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Learn About Workplace Inclusivity this National Reconciliation Week"},"content":{"rendered":"
This National Reconciliation Week, we want to shine a light on inclusivity in the workplace. To be frank, there\u2019s nothing more important! We spend a <\/span>lot <\/span><\/i>of our life at work, and thus, our working environments need to empower everyone to be their true selves.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By discussing the importance of indigenous opportunities, supportive practices and indigenous career opportunities, we want to guide you to do your bit for inclusivity and notice when things in the workplace aren\u2019t quite right.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Indigenous and First Nations people are making brilliant contributions to Australia\u2019s workforce, yet they <\/span>aren\u2019t receiving equal opportunities<\/span><\/a> due to additional barriers to their work and study.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Workforces that choose to employ an inclusive hiring strategy benefit from different perspectives, experience and knowledge. What\u2019s more, a diverse workplace fosters higher levels of cultural awareness; it\u2019s a win-win situation!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re an indigenous job seeker, a great resource to check out is our <\/span>First Nations-focused employer pages<\/span><\/a>. Who knows, you might just find your dream job there!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re not indigenous yourself but want to get educated on how to best support your indigenous colleagues, good on you! Education is the first step towards inclusivity and understanding. To get you started, we\u2019ve put together a list of ways that you can make sure your indigenous coworkers feel heard and supported. What\u2019s more, these tips work outside the workplace too!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The most vital means of supporting your Indigenous coworkers is though self-directed education on their culture and history. For example, all Australians should be familiar with an Acknowledgement of Country, but not all of us understand why it\u2019s so important. Shelly Reys has released <\/span>an incredible TED talk<\/span><\/a> on the subject, and we highly recommend tuning in; it\u2019s incredibly important to understand why recognising the traditional custodians of the land is so vital.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By dedicating your time to attending designated reconciliation events, you\u2019re not only educating yourself on prevalent Indigenous issues; you\u2019re also showing support for your colleague\u2019s culture. There are plenty of opportunities coming up this National Reconciliation Week, and you can find them all on <\/span>Reconciliation Australia\u2019s website<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whether this means attending an Indigenous art show or shopping from local indigenous retailers, supporting Indigenous creators and sellers is a fantastic way to contribute to economic development. If you\u2019re social media savvy, it\u2019s great to post about Indigenous businesses too. Who knows, you might just send some more customers their way!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n By demonstrating kindness, empathy and openness, you\u2019ll foster a safe environment where open dialogues can take place about sensitive issues. You want to make sure your coworkers know that you have their backs and that they can come to you with any problems they might be having. If they do so, make sure you practice active listening and offer to help in any way you can.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember that this is by no means an exhaustive list; it\u2019s just a way to get you started. Just as reconciliation must be a consistent effort, support must be too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s be real for a second; if a workplace isn\u2019t inclusive, it\u2019s toxic. A positive working environment is one where all employees can be themselves by embracing their culture (and anything else that makes them unique)!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n None of us want to work in un-inclusive environments, so we\u2019ve put together a list of green flags and red flags to look out for when you\u2019re on your next job hunt:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you notice any of these red flags on your next job hunt, remember that it\u2019s more than ok to ask about a company’s inclusivity policies. Hopefully, they\u2019ll be taking steps to become more inclusive, and your contributions might help them do so.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s incredibly important for companies to actively work towards inclusive work environments, and luckily, more and more are starting to. If you want to check out some of our employers with future-focused RAC plans, we\u2019ve put together a list to help you out:<\/span><\/p>\n Coles is Australia\u2019s largest private sector employer of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and has over 4,800 Indigenous team members. They\u2019re also actively working to expand the number of Indigenous workers, showing their commitment to consistent, sustained change. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For more information about their program or for help with an application, they encourage you to email them today at <\/span>IndigenousAffairs@coles.com.au<\/span><\/a>, or you can check out their <\/span>employer profile<\/span><\/a> too!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Leidos is on a mission to increase diversity and support inclusion in the workplace. One of the ways they\u2019re working towards this is through their Leidos Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The initiative includes multiple streams, such as:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about all the good done by Leidos at their <\/span>employer profile.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Telstra boasts a holistic view of diversity and actively prioritises opportunities for under-represented employees. They\u2019ve partnered with CareerTrackers to create paid, multi-year internships for Indigenous students facilitated an indigenous employee representative group called Dharrang, and offers an Indigenous interview guarantee for shortlisted candidates.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about Telstra\u2019s diversity mission by visiting their <\/span>employer profile<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Westpac is another company working towards a better future for all Australians with their commitment to diversity. A few of the ways they do so are by:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Learn more about their future-focused initiatives by visiting their <\/span>employer profile<\/span><\/a> or <\/span>Indigenous Careers webpage<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Westrac\u2019s commitment to reconciliation is at the foundation of their Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Through their support of community programs, such as the Carey Bindjareb and Olabud Doogethu programs, they are helping provide industry training for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people engaged in the criminal justice system.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Their team also works with <\/span>Nudge<\/span><\/a>, an organisation that helps place young Indigenous people into jobs and traineeships and targets Indigenous Australian applicants for their apprenticeship programs.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To discover all the other aspects of Westrac\u2019s RAP, head to their <\/span>employer profile<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The road to reconciliation is a long one, but it\u2019s not one that we\u2019re going on alone. In last year\u2019s referendum, 6.2 million Australians voted yes. If we all prioritise inclusivity, work together and actively call out exclusive workplace practices, change will happen; it has to.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To find out more about how you can get involved in reconciliation efforts, check out o<\/span>ur<\/span> blog on this year\u2019s <\/span><\/span>National Reconciliation Week<\/span><\/span><\/a> or discover our <\/span><\/span>F<\/span>irst Nations focused employers<\/span><\/span><\/a> today!<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nThe Importance of Indigenous Opportunities<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
How To Support Your Indigenous Coworkers<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
1. Educate Yourself on Indigenous Australian Culture<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
2. Get Involved with Local Community Events and Reconciliation Efforts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Support Indigenous Artists and Businesses<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Create a Safe Space for Your Coworkers to Share Their Experiences<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Inclusivity in the Workplace\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Green Flags\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Red Flags\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Employers and Allyship<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
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1. Coles<\/span><\/h3>\n
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2. Leidos<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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3. Telstra<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Westpac<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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5. WesTrac <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
\nFinal Notes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n