DCA members are ahead of the pack in managing diversity in their organisations. These diversity leaders demonstrate how leading practice principles can be applied in real Australian workplaces. The following are examples of leading practice by DCA members in the overall management of diversity and its associated structures:
- Overall diversity management: IBM
- Diversity census, diversity council and employee resource groups: ANZ
- Diversity accountabilities: Telstra
- Employee resource groups: ANZ
For more leading practice case studies, see the members' only area in the link below. For more information on leading practice in specific diversity areas, visit Key Diversity Areas.
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Overall diversity management: IBM
IBM worldwide has been a pioneer in diversity programs and is considered by many to be the leading organisation in the field. Here IBM profiles its overall approach to managing diversity in Australia and the various elements it covers:
At IBM, we understand that in order for us to help make the world a smarter place, we need a constant flow of new and diverse ideas. We also realise that these diverse ideas must come from a diverse workforce. We have relied on this diversity of thought for a long time, and it’s helped us change industries, revolutionise business and even land on the moon. Now we are striving to develop smarter systems to tackle the world’s big problems, and diversity is more important than ever. Maybe that’s why we take diversity a little more seriously than other companies. It’s an integral part of our make-up, and from the very top down, considered essential to our future success. It’s the way we’ve always done business, and it’s the way we intend to do business in the future.
Advancing women
Diversity means supporting women's career aspirations without requiring them to sacrifice their other priorities or compromise their natural working style. Recognised as an Employer of Choice for Women, we have a strong focus on making our workplace more inclusive for women and to have greater representation of women in technical, leadership and professional roles. We also have professional development programs, leadership conferences and mentoring programs to advance our female talent into senior positions. In addition, our flexible work options help all employees, including women, to balance their professional and personal goals.
People with disability
As a business, we recognise the need to capitalise on the skills and talents of all segments of our diverse community. With four million Australians identifying as having a disability - a figure that will increase as our population ages - we are committed to building the representation of People With Disability (PwD) into our workforce. Already, our proactive approach to employing PwD means this important group is represented across our business. Where needed, we provide accommodations – a modified workplace, specialist equipment or tools – to ensure our PwD employees are able to realise their potential.
Cross generational diversity
Cross generational diversity is about looking at the lifecycle of the employee and their needs at the different phases of their career, from recruitment through to retirement. It means valuing the talents and abilities of all generations, from the experience of mature-age workers to the energy of the next generation entering the workforce.
GLBT – Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual Transgender
Diversity means feeling comfortable, valued and included: making it safe for people to be out at work. We know that all employees, including gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender (GBLT) employees, will only reach their full potential and make their fullest contribution to our clients' success if they are comfortable to be who they are.
IBM's Diversity and Inclusion policies have included references to sexual orientation for over 20 years. IBM was one of the very first companies to do this, and continues to lead the way by creating an atmosphere where GLBT employees are not just valued, but empowered to think freely and to be themselves. In this way, we enable our GLBT employees to fully contribute to the workplace and our clients.
In 2008, IBM won a Diversity@Work’s Award as Employer of Choice for GLBT Employees. This award recognises individuals, teams and organisations who encourage diversity and inclusion in their workplace.
Cultural diversity
Diversity means valuing and including people from every culture and religion, and delighting in their difference. In this global economy, we believe cultural insight is just as important as technical ability. IBM operates across nine time zones in 170 countries and our employees speak more than 70 languages. This diversity is one of our greatest strengths, enabling us to bring the best talent and ideas together to solve our clients' problems. With teams and clients spanning the globe, many employees have the chance to experience working with people from different countries and cultures. To make sure they are sensitive to the cultural differences in global working practices, we provide them with learning programs, workshops and tools to help them to work with different cultures.
Work life integration
In today's complicated world, there's no longer a typical working day. Family, sport, study or health priorities can all encroach on the traditional work life. That's why we offer flexible work options which allow employees to make changes to the way they work and balance their work and personal needs. We recognise that our employees are key to our continued business success. We believe in creating a workplace culture and environment in which employees can meet their professional and personal priorities, according to their individual needs and the needs of the business. IBM underpins its work/life vision with, policies and programs to support our employees.
Source: for more information, visit IBM Australia’s web site: http://www-07.ibm.com/employment/au/diversity/
