Five barriers to a successful Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (and how to overcome them).

At Be Recruitment, we know how important it is to create an inclusive and diverse workplace. But we also understand that it’s not always easy.

Many social care organisations in Australia struggle to implement effective diversity and inclusion strategies.

In this post, we’ll explore some of the reasons why your strategy might not be working, and steps you can take to improve recruitment, retention and diversity outcomes.

1. Lack of Leadership Support

If your executives aren’t on board with creating an inclusive culture, it’s difficult to build momentum for change.

It’s vital to work with your leadership team to develop a clear mission and vision that incorporates diversity and inclusion.

Sometimes it can be helpful to seek external training from a specialist like Be Recruitment to help your executives understand the importance of leading by example when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and how to become more culturally competent.

2. Inadequate Recruitment and Retention Strategies

If you’re not attracting a diverse pool of candidates, you’ll struggle to build a diverse workforce.

Similarly, if you can’t retain diverse talent, your efforts to create a more inclusive workplace will be hampered.

Recruiters like Be can help you expand your recruitment efforts beyond traditional channels by tapping into employee referrals and building partnerships with community organisations.

We can also work with you to create an inclusive work environment that supports all employees, including those from diverse backgrounds. This includes initiatives such as developing Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP), which enable organisations to make their contribution to a reconciled Australia by creating social change and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

3. Unconscious Bias in the Workplace

Unconscious bias is a significant barrier to creating an inclusive workplace. If you’re not aware of the role bias plays in decision-making, you may unknowingly perpetuate discrimination.

Your organisation may benefit from training designed to help all employees recognise and address their biases.

At Be Recruitment, we can help you create ongoing training programs that keep your workforce learning and improving.

4. Inadequate Diversity and Inclusion Metrics

Without proper metrics, it’s difficult to assess the effectiveness of your diversity and inclusion strategy.

As an organisation, you need to develop metrics that track the representation of different groups in your workforce, staff retention rates and client satisfaction ratings.

These metrics will help you evaluate the effectiveness of your diversity and inclusion strategy and identify areas that require improvement.

5. Lack of Accountability

Finally, a lack of accountability can prevent the successful implementation of diversity and inclusion strategies.

If leaders aren’t holding themselves or others accountable for creating an inclusive workplace, progress can be very slow.

Set clear expectations for diversity and inclusion efforts and hold your organisation accountable for achieving these goals.

And if needed, seek out external partners like Be Recruitment to provide regular performance reviews that evaluate your progress towards your diversity and inclusion goals.

Conclusion

Improving your diversity and inclusion outcomes isn’t easy, but it’s essential if you want to create a workplace that supports all staff members and better serves the diverse communities you work with.

As members of the Diversity Council, Be Recruitment can help you overcome the challenges that are holding you back.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your recruitment and retention, as well as your diversity and inclusion outcomes. We’re here to help!

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