In 2022, Australia is experiencing the lowest unemployment rate in almost 50 years. This, along with record-high employment, means that many Australian organisations are struggling to meet their workforce needs.
At the same time, there are more than 3 million people in Australia who are looking for work, or who want more work.
More often than not, these potential workers belong to marginalised groups. Not only are these workers being left off recruitment radars, but they also experience bias and exclusion in the labour market as well.
A focus on diversity and inclusion (D&I) can help us to understand and address these issues, and in doing so it can also help us create a more equitable job market for all Australians.
In this submission, we outline what our research says about the experiences of Australian workers from a diversity of backgrounds, and offer evidence-based solutions to create inclusive workplaces. We also demonstrate the significant productivity and innovation benefits to Australian organisation of becoming more diverse and inclusive.
We welcome the Government’s aspiration for the Summit, and look forward to working with Australian organisations to make workplaces more accessible and inclusive and in doing so, creating opportunities for more Australians to get ahead and to reach their aspirations.