Supporting a diverse workforce through change: Practical tips for Human Resource Practitioners
Supporting a diverse workforce through change: Practical tips for Human Resource Practitioners
During organisational change, understanding, communicating with and supporting APS employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences can make a huge difference to their wellbeing.
The term ‘diversity’ references employees who may identify with one or more groups, cultures and identities, such as:
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage
- culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD)
- age
- parental status
- disability
- mental health
- gender
- lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and questioning/queer + (LGBTIQ+).
Change impacts different groups of people in different ways. Different groups may need different kinds and levels of support over a period of organisational change to keep them mentally and physically healthy.
Regardless of someone’s diversity background or identity, seeing people as individuals with their own needs will be the most helpful approach to support someone navigate a particularly complex environment. Open communication is a critical component.
Managers and team leaders need to ask all employees, ‘what support do you need to perform your best?’ and be prepared to discuss options. My Best – A Conversation Starter provides a template to support employees to prepare for that conversation.
Onboarding
A thorough, accessible and inclusive onboarding process can help overcome many of the difficulties diverse workforces can experience when navigating organisational change. Consider the learning and development options available for staff going through change, and whether additional development is required. The APS Academy is a great source for learning and development opportunities.
Employee networks, diversity champions and staff in diversity and inclusion roles can be assets in shaping an inclusive and engaged workforce. Consult with employee networks and diversity champions about barriers and issues affecting their transition and potential changes in workplace location. Such changes may impact on:
- Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employees’ connection to Country
- ability for employees to access their workplace, resources or tools to do their job
- additional distance to travel, access to parking conditions, child care, breastfeeding rooms, and prayer rooms.
Introduce all staff to these champions and networks as part of your onboarding. Make sure any information is accessible, especially during periods where access to networks and systems may be uncertain.
You also need to recognise the change may affect existing networks and diversity champions. Communicate these impacts and make sure staff know how and when you will manage and communicate this.
Cultural change
Agencies naturally have different organisational cultures, values, and practices. These evolve over time and may not be obvious to those who have been working within them for a while.
Moving from one organisational culture to another can have an impact on staff. This includes the values, beliefs and practices or ‘the way we do things around here’. Use an onboarding process to introduce staff to the new culture and reduce the stress of this change.
Communicating messages that recognise and celebrate diversity and inclusion can help employees feel a sense of belonging. It also begins to shape an inclusive organisational culture.
Impacts on groups of employees
Change will impact each employee differently. If employees are moving to new employment conditions, review the new employment conditions to understand how each diversity cohort may be affected. Make sure staff moving to new agreements understand their entitlements such as ceremonial leave, leave for Sorry Business, flexible working arrangements and carers leave.
Clearly communicate to staff about the workplace or reasonable adjustments that are available, and where they can get more information about them. This can include:
- access to buildings
- availability of accessibility technology
- assistive equipment
- flexible working arrangements
- access to quiet or low light spaces
- availability of adjustable desks.
This information must be accessible and easy to find, especially during periods where access to networks and systems may be uncertain. Remember, a new system means a new intranet, new people, and new contacts to find.
Consider the mental health support required for each individual and team. This may be particularly acute for diverse groups of employees.
Make sure all employees understand and have access to additional support such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). We’ve provided some information for managers on supporting well-being.
Diversity data
It’s really important that agencies and HR teams have reliable data on the diversity of the workforce. This can’t be something HR teams do for employees, it needs to be voluntarily shared. The more information agencies have on this, the better HR can respond to the changing needs of a diverse workforce through new initiatives and support.
Staff may need to navigate a new human resources system to update this data. Make sure they have all the information and access they need to do this easily and quickly. Make sure it is on their list of priorities by ‘nudging’ them through onboarding and other communications.
There are a few things to consider which will make this easier for agencies and staff:
- how can you make the process easier?
- what are the points at which you can ‘nudge’ people into updating their information?
- if access to employee systems is difficult due to organisational change, what are some ways you can collect information while maintaining privacy?
- what are the personal and professional benefits to staff for doing this? This may be different for different agencies.