DIVERSITY STRATEGY 2014 2019 DIVERSE INCLUSIVE ADAPTABLE We re in the business of saving lives
OUR COMMITMENT Our vision is to create a high-performance workplace culture that values individual differences, attracts and retains the best, and delivers a supportive system of work for all employees, no matter who they are. We aim to ensure that we uphold the highest standards of inclusion and equal opportunity for all of our employees and we undertake these responsibilities seriously. This document sets out our commitment beyond minimal compliance, to create a culture that supports and leverages workplace diversity. Our employees play a critical role in delivering to the expectations of our customers, stakeholders and blood donors. Our Strategic Plan At the leading edge recognises that in order to achieve high performance, we need the commitment and engagement of our employees and we think that the culture we create is critical to ensuring our continuous improvement. If we have a workforce that is engaged, productive, supported and encouraged to thrive, then we are setting ourselves up for success to deliver Australia s world-class blood supply. At the core of our organisation decision-making are the corporate values: Accountability, Collaboration, Excellence, Integrity, Service, Safety and Quality. These values set out our expectations about how we treat each other and our leadership behaviours set out how we aim to manage people at the Blood Service. Diversity is about believing that people s differences are something to be encouraged and celebrated. I believe that if our culture promotes workplace diversity, that will lead to better decision making and ultimately that means better outcomes for our customers, our donors and of course, blood recipients. Ms Jennifer Williams Chief Executive
Leading Diversity Diversity is in our make up; it s what makes each of us unique. It s more than just recognising difference; it is about leveraging difference and tapping into the diverse perspectives and approaches of each individual employee. We believe that diversity of thought: Creates a point of difference, Fosters a culture that is reflective of our organisational values, Encourages innovation and creative thinking, Enhances productivity and increases employee engagement, and Is integral to our success. As an organisation we strive to create a culture that recognises, respects and celebrates diversity. To achieve this we need to build an inclusive culture based on fairness and equity, where all people are treated with dignity, courtesy and respect. Key to this commitment is a belief that all employees deserve to: Feel included, connected and engaged, Feel valued and share a sense of belonging, and Have a voice and be heard. Our Diversity Strategy 2014 2019 highlights our commitment to diversity and outlines the actions we will take to better leverage difference to achieve organisational success. Our strategy aims to build organisational capability and ensure various networks are in place to support and drive diversity and inclusion across the Blood Service. Our Diversity Strategy is designed to support the organisation s Strategic Plan At the leading edge and the achievement of Measure 12 Attraction and retention of the best staff in the Human Resources Business Plan. The Diversity Action Plan supports and complements the Diversity Strategy and outlines our actions across the six diversity areas: 01 Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD) 02 Work Life Fit 03 Disability and Mental Health 04 Generational 05 Gender 06 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) The above diversity areas are based on our workforce demographics and industry best practice. An executive sponsor has been assigned to each of the diversity areas and is responsible for playing an active role in championing and driving diversity initiatives.
Governance Our Diversity Steering Committee is chaired by the Chief Executive and includes all Executive Committee members. The Committee operates at a strategic level and is accountable for the governance of our Diversity Strategy and is responsible for: Reviewing the progress and achievement of diversity goals against the actions outlined in the Diversity Strategy Ensuring that diversity initiatives and projects align with the strategic direction of the organisation Monitoring the actions of employee networks and reviewing, approving or endorsing recommendations made to the Committee. Our diverse workforce 25% ARE BORN OVERSEAS 47% HAVE A CARE COMMITMENT 3% LIVE WITH A DISABILITY 40% ARE AGED OVER 45 YEARS 76% ARE FEMALE 5% IDENTIFY AS GAY, LESBIAN, BI OR TRANSGENDER
DIVERSE We will attract and retain a high calibre workforce from diverse backgrounds in order to meet our strategic and operational objectives. 01 BE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE EMPLOYER 02 ATTRACT A DIVERSE WORKFORCE 03 ENHANCE OUR SYSTEMS We will train all hiring managers in diversity principles to promote best practice selection techniques and raise awareness of unconscious bias. We will review our recruitment processes to identify potential barriers to employment. We will review the capability of our recruitment and payroll systems to improve the collection of demographic data. We will include a diversity statement in our terms of trade to ensure all vendors uphold our diversity and inclusion standards. We will communicate our diversity expectations to all external recruitment agencies. We will develop a diversity reporting dashboard to track trends and measure the impact of our diversity initiatives. We will utilise social media platforms and external communication channels to promote our commitment to diversity and build our reputation as a fair and equitable employer. We will broaden our reach by identifying alternative recruitment channels to attract a diversified applicant pool.
INCLUSIVE We will build an inclusive workplace culture where diversity is recognised, respected and celebrated. 04 CELEBRATE AND PROMOTE DIVERSITY 05 BUILD AN INCLUSIVE CULTURE 06 IMPROVE EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION AND ENGAGEMENT We will develop an annual diversity calendar of events that will be acknowledged and communicated across the organisation. We will review all HR policies, procedures and guidelines to ensure they reflect our commitment to diversity and inclusion. We will support employee network groups to encourage employee participation and ensure self-sustainability of diversity initiatives. We will establish a diversity hub on Connect to communicate and promote internal success stories and case studies. We will embed diversity principles into day-today operations and people management processes. We will increase disclosure rates and engagement levels of our diverse groups. We will build the capability of our people managers and leaders to manage diverse teams. We will establish a Diversity Contact Officer (DCO) Network to provide information and support for employees experiencing a diversity issue, concern or complaint.
ADAPTABLE We will develop adaptable and accessible work practices that meet business needs and support employees to balance their work and life commitments. 07 BUILD INTERNAL CAPABILITY 08 SUPPORT ADAPTABLE WORK PRACTICES 09 MEASURE AND SHOWCASE SUCCESS We will develop tools and resources to assist our organisation to integrate adaptable work practices into day-to-day business operations. We will leverage information and communication technology to better support our diverse working community. We will measure employee perceptions of work life fit through Employee Engagement Survey, Entry Survey and Exit Survey results. We will build the capability of our people managers and leaders to balance requests for flexibility with productivity demands. We will review how we capture requests for reasonable adjustments to ensure all employees are able to perform at their full capacity. We will communicate and promote real life examples of flexible, adaptable and accessible work practices. We will adopt a universal design approach to ensure our services and environments are accessible and usable to the whole community.
DIVERSITY TERMINOLOGY Accessibility Refers to the ability for someone to make use of your services or enter your premises and is about removing barriers so that everyone has equal access. Adaptable work Being adaptable in the way we work to meet the needs of our customers, donors, practices blood recipients and employees. Ally An advocate for LGBTI workplace inclusion, a support, a friend or a person who wants to see change and is prepared to bring it about. Caring responsibilities Includes care for older people, people with a disability, children, partners and responsibilities associated with extended families. CALD Culturally and linguistically diverse. Celebrate diversity Recognising and communicating diversity events to raise awareness and acceptance of difference. Disability Any temporary or permanent, total or partial, lifelong or acquired, visible or invisible condition that restricts a person s mental, sensory or mobility functions. Disclosure Individuals telling HR/the organisation sensitive information about their protected characteristic (i.e. disability). Diversity of thought Different perspectives as a result of different life experiences and backgrounds. Equality Equal rights and access regardless of what characteristics or attributes they might have that are different from others. Flexibility Giving employees greater choice and control over how, when, where and how much they work. Gender reassignment Generational diversity The process whereby a person s physical sexual characteristics are changed by means of medical procedures such as surgery or hormone treatment. Mix of workforce by early, mid and late career (i.e. four generations in the workplace for the first time). Inclusion Working in a way that involves people and minimises feelings of exclusion. LGBTI Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex. Reasonable adjustments Changes or modifications that ensure people can participate in employment on an equal basis with others. Unconscious bias Being unaware of one s own unfair, illegitimate or unjustifiable judgment that disadvantages others based on personal characteristics or attributes. Universal design A progressive and evolving approach to the development of an inclusive environment that can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible. Work life fit Working to accommodate individual and business requirements by adopting flexible work practices with the dual aim of meeting productivity and personal needs.
Copyright 2014 Australian Red Cross Blood Service No person should act on the basis of the contents of this publication without first obtaining specific, independent and relevant advice. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is not liable for any loss, damage, cost or expense incurred or arising by any person, or organisation, using or relying on the information in this publication. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or part, is not permitted without written permission. /redcrossbloodau @redcrossbloodau /redcrossbloodau donateblood.com.au