March 8, 2017 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Human Resources, Recruitment

Unconscious bias is keeping women out of senior NFP roles, but we can get around it

Most people would not consciously decide to hire candidates based on whether they remind them of themselves. But one unconscious bias – affinity bias – may lead people to favour candidates who are like themselves, research shows.

If senior managers and NFP boards are made up of mostly men who unconsciously engage in such bias, it stands to reason that more men than women will continue to be hired and promoted – particularly men who share the same background with current managers. This only serves to perpetuate the cycle of men outnumbering women in leadership positions.

So what can be done?

September 14, 2016 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Legal Issues, Making Decisions, Recruitment

Six things you just can’t discuss when assessing candidates for your next job

Up until 1975, employers could take almost anything into consideration when recruiting staff. But the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act – passed by the Whitlam Government – started a legislative trend towards protecting a variety of people from employment discrimination. And that means there are now some things you just can’t discuss when you’re making a decision about who to hire.

April 6, 2016 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Leadership

Women in leadership: how does your NFP stack up?

Australia’s record on women in leadership isn’t a shining one. Despite comprising around 46 percent of the Australian workforce, women make up only a quarter of key management staff.

But what about the NFP sector? Surely for organisations dedicated to a more just and equitable world, the statistics would look a lot better?

March 7, 2016 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Managing People Well, Organisational Strategy

Is your NFP prepared for an ageing workforce?

Australian workplaces are facing the most significant demographic shift in modern human history. In 1990, just 15.9 percent of the Australian population was aged over 55. Today, that figure sits at one in four – which looks set to increase even further to around one in three within the next decade. But are we ready?

November 23, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Organisational Strategy, Recruitment

Gender diversity – why aren’t we getting it right?

Why is it so hard to get diversity right? Many organisations attempt to identify, educate and implement policies and activities to improve diversity in their workforce. Despite this, we are yet to see impactful and sustainable change.

September 2, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Legal Issues, Managing People Well

Staff with kids? This new website is here to help.

“Higher absenteeism, lower productivity, higher staff turnover… as well as reputational damage”. They’re just a few of the issues arising from an alarming amount of workplace discrimination uncovered by the Australian Human Rights Commission related to pregnancy, parental leave or returning to work from leave. Fortunately, there’s a fantastic new website to address these very issues.

June 25, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Recruitment

Want to employ staff with a disability? Here are seven practical steps.

Employing people with disability doesn’t need to be expensive or hard – and it could prove to be one of the best decisions your organisation ever makes.

In this guest post, CEO of not-for-profit job agency Ostara Australia, Tom Baxter, provides practical advice for you to welcome employees with disability into your organisation.

April 8, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Leadership, Managing People Well, Remuneration

Four practical things your NFP can do to support women to lead

With women making up more than 80% of the community sector workforce, you might think that your NFP would be ahead of the curve in terms of female leadership. But while NFPs do generally fare better than the norm when it comes to hiring and supporting female leaders, research shows that there is still huge […]

March 4, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Remuneration

Record gender pay gap a concern for the community sector, new data shows

You might have heard that the gender pay gap in Australia reached a record level last week, with women now being paid on average 19 percent less than men. And the gap is even bigger for women in management positions. Data from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has found that women in management positions […]

February 23, 2015 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Managing People Well

Better opportunities for older people will transform your organisation: Tips from the Age Discrimination Commissioner

It’s the reality that employers are only just beginning to address: the Australian workforce is getting older, fast. As Generation X-ers begin to enter their 50s, NFPs need to plan for the challenges of an older workforce, but also recognise the significant benefits that longer, healthier careers can bring to the sector. Susan Ryan AO […]