After sharing with you all the research launches and events DCA has planned for 2024, it’s time to look back on the year that was. Here, we showcase our most-read blogs, opinion pieces and resources from 2023 and reflect on all the learnings we shared with our members and supporters.
Unsurprisingly, many of our most popular articles were about the Voice to Parliament referendum. This engagement is a testament to the effort Australian workplaces put in to stand in solidarity with First Nations Australians and to continue the conversation as we advocate for tangible outcomes, reflect on learnings, and reinforce our commitment to positive change.
Aside from a strong focus on our First Nations content, we published articles and resources on a broad array of topics this year, spanning many diversity dimensions. These were your favourites:
Words at Work: Should we use CALD or CARM?
Inclusive language was high on the agenda this year, with our most popular blog focusing on the term culturally and racially marginalised (CARM). DCA’s CARM Women in Leadership research sparked a national discussion around whether the term culturally and linguistically marginalised (CALD) was inclusive of racially marginalised people. Here, we discussed the appropriate uses of each term.
The 10 Guiding Principles of Recruiting Neurodivergent Talent
Up next was this op-ed penned by Amaze CEO, Jim Mullan, who spoke at DCA’s D&I Insights Program event: Attracting, Retaining and Progressing Neurodivergent Talent. Here, Jim gave his top tips for the inclusive recruitment and retention of neurodivergent talent.
Post-referendum, what do we do moving forward?
Our guidance on proactively stepping up support for reconciliation post-referendum was the most popular of all our content on the Voice to Parliament. Now, more than ever, we must actively listen to First Nations Australians and take proactive steps to support reconciliation so that we can bring about real, tangible outcomes. In this blog, we explored how organisations can find lessons in the outcome to reinforce their commitment to positive change.
The Constant Questions: Comfort and safety for your First Nations employees in 2023
As debate around the Voice to Parliament intensified, we released early data from our upcoming Inclusion@Work Index revealing First Nations people experienced an alarming increase in discrimination at work in 2023. With this in mind, we asked Nareen Young and Joshua Gilbert of the UTS Jumbunna Institute to write this op-ed on the impacts of the Voice Referendum on cultural safety at work.
Shifting the mobile middle to vote YES!
In the final weeks of campaigning, polls showed that between 20-30% of Australians were either undecided or “softly leaning” towards Yes or No. This blog explored how to have respectful and productive discussions about the Voice to Parliament with those who were still yet to decide which way to vote.
Career Trajectories in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
As a relatively new sector, career paths in DEI can be less defined and a lack of regulation and consistency has led to significant challenges in the field. In this op-ed, Nicole Lee of Diversity Atlas, and Rezza Moieni and Peter Mousaferiadis of Cultural Infusion shared insightful data on career trajectories in the field.
Supporting Staff Through Bereavement
Bereavement is an often-overlooked topic in the D&I space, so we were glad to see this beautiful piece by Jessie Williams of CCNB among our most-read articles this year. Jesse was a panel member at DCA’s D&I Insights Program event: Supporting Employees Through Bereavement, and shared a story about her personal experience with loss, and how her workplace took action to support her in this moving op-ed.
Why we need allies to step up in support of the Voice
Following the announcement that the Liberal Pary had chosen to oppose the Voice to Parliament, Kate Russell, proud Awabakal woman and Chair of DCA’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander External Advisory Panel, wrote this piece calling for non-Indigenous Australians to step up and show their support for First Nations people.
Why Respecting Pronouns Matters
The use of pronouns and respectful language is a crucial way that workplaces can create a safe environment for all employees. To mark International Non-Binary People’s Day, DCA’s Member Relations Manager, Kath Sciacca, shared their lived experience using they/them pronouns and how they navigate “showing up as me” in the workplace.
D&I Days & Dates
Celebrating Diversity Days is not only a great way to raise awareness, it also provides an opportunity for learning and reflection, so it’s no wonder that DCA’s D&I Days & Dates resource made this list. Want to go beyond morning teas and themed cupcakes? Check out our top 5 recommendations for how to celebrate diversity days.