Workplace Diversity in Australia

Australia is a vibrant, multicultural and diverse country. It is home to the world’s oldest continuous cultures, as well as Australians who identify with more than 270 ancestries. Almost seven million people migrated to Australia since 1945 and cultural diversity is one of the greatest strengths of this country.

This article will specifically focus on the diversity in work place of Australia. Censuses have revealed a quick picture of what Australian society looks like. 28% of Australian was born overseas; another 20% have a parent who was born overseas; about 20% of the population speaks a language other than English at home. Australia is proud to be recognised as a well-diverse country. However, Australia doesn’t seem to see the replicated trend at the levels of leadership. For example, only 4 members out of 226 representatives in Federal Parliament are non-European background. A similar pattern can be seen in private sectors. Last year, the Diversity Council of Australia studied the cultural origins of Australian business leaders. Unsurprisingly, only 1.9% of executive managers and 4% of directors have other cultural origins. It is undeniable that Australia is a paradise for migrants and outstanding on the topic of multi-culture compared to other countries. That’s why Australia should put equal weight on race, gender, and human rights.

Why diversity is so important amongst a team in contemporary society? The tremendous benefits of diversity in the workplace cannot be ignored. Here are a few of the top benefits of it.

Let’s talking about the benefits of national level.

Ø  Many investors in Australia love to investment to their homeland, and these investments become a long term investment for Australia. For example, on a larger scale, it is known that two-thirds of all investment in mainland China are made by overseas Chinese including the Australian-Chinese cultural state, and part of their investment flows back into Australia through the taxation system.

Ø  Cultural diversity confers social and economic dividends; it creates jobs and generates profits and, equally importantly, it promotes artistic exchange and connects us with the rest of the world.

The benefits of individual level are also important especially from employer’s perspective.

Ø  Employees are more likely to feel comfortable and happy in an environment where inclusivity is a priority. Equality in the workplace is important for encouraging workers from all backgrounds to feel confident in their ability and achieve their best. The higher the team morale, the more productive employees are.

Ø  By working alongside people of different backgrounds, experiences and working styles, creative concepts can be born from bouncing ideas off of each other and offering feedback and suggestions. Whereas one person may be great at generating exciting, out of the square, another individual may have the necessary experience to execute it; so it is essential to play on each individual’s strengths and collaborate with others in the team.

Ø  Language barriers and cultural differences can often act as a bit of an obstacle for a company who want to expand their business over shores; however, by hiring employees who speak different languages it can make it possible for a company to work on a global basis and interact with a broader client-base. Representing a number of nationalities within your company can also help to make it more relatable

Clearly, diversity can be beneficial for not only the employers, but also important for employees. Australia certainly is on the right track. However, the benefits of diversity are disrupted by racism and discrimination, which challenges social cohesion in Australian society. It is glad to see Australia is taking action to eliminate them. 83% of Australian voted to appeal to tackle the discrimination.

References:

Department of Human Rights 2017. |.Cultural diversity in the workplace|. Dr Tim Soutphommasane [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/speeches/cultural-diversity-workplace-0. [Accessed 16 August 2017].

Diversity in the Workplace | Department of Social Services, Australian Government. 2017. Diversity in the Workplace | Department of Social Services, Australian Government. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/settlement-and-multicultural-affairs/programs-policy/a-multicultural-australia/programs-and-publications/1995-global-cultural-diversity-conference-proceedings-sydney/economic-aspects-of-diversity/diversity-in-the-workplace. [Accessed 16 August 2017].

Undercover Recruiter. 2017. What Are the Benefits of Diversity in the Workplace?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/benefits-diversity-workplace/. [Accessed 16 August 2017].