How inclusive are Australian workplaces for a diversity of employees, and how has this changed over time? What impact does inclusion have on performance and wellbeing? The 2019-2020 Inclusion@Work Index surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3,000 Australian workers to find out.
Age
In this section, you will find resources to help you attract, engage, and retain workers of all ages. Much of the research in Australia and internationally on the impact of age in the workforce focuses on ‘older’ workers. However, while older individuals (however ‘older’ is defined) do experience particular workplace issues as a result of ageing, ‘age’ must be considered across the life course.
DCA Research
Change At Work
For well over thirty years, initiatives designed to improve diversity and inclusion (D&I) have been a priority for organisations – but are the plethora of D&I initiatives actually creating the organisational change they aspire to?
Inclusion@Work Index 2017-2018
The DCA-Suncorp Inclusion@Work Index 2017-2018 is a landmark study, providing the first-ever national benchmarks for Australian workplaces in regards to the age, cultural background, disability status, gender, Indigenous background, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity of workers.
WordsAtWork - Building inclusion through the power of language
DCA has developed a new Words At Work campaign for workplaces to show how inclusive language can improve workplace culture and drive productivity.
Older Women Matter
DCA research has found that older women (defined as 45 years plus) represent a sizeable and growing segment of the labour force but Australian organisations are failing to fully harness their skills and talents.
Grey Matters: Engaging Mature Age Workers
This research project reveals baby boomers are challenging traditional notions of retirement.
Other Research
UniSA: BUILDING A BETTER WORKPLACE: One mature-age worker at a time
Mature-age workers comprise 40% of Australia's workforce. They're likely your most experienced and highest-paid employees, but a failure to fully engage this valuable resource will hurt your bottom line.
What’s Age Got to Do With It? Towards a New Advocacy on Ageing and Work
This report, released by Per Capita (2017), challenges existing ideas about older workers and ageing, puts forth recommendations about how to consider age and advocate for ‘age’ across the workforce.
News
Ground-breaking research reveals support for inclusion in workplaces is up among one of the most resistant groups
Media releases
28 Nov 2019
DCA's 2019-2020 Inclusion@Work Index shows that support for diversity and inclusion (D&I) is up among men – traditionally the group least likely to strongly support, and one of the groups most likely to oppose such initiatives.
Backlash: is it good for diversity and inclusion (D&I)?
Media releases
17 Oct 2019
The 2019 Diversity Council Australia and MLC Life Insurance Debate will ask: Is backlash good for diversity and inclusion?
What are the myths (and facts) on ageing and work?
News articles
01 Oct 2019
Prolonging the working life in an inclusive way, and promoting solidarity of different employee life stages, are key issues in the workplace. Here we tackle some misconceptions around age and work.
Perspectives
Let’s hear it from the boys
Blog
28 Mar 2019
Addressing attitudes to gender equality from millennial men.
From older workers to generational solidarity. Let’s rethink ageing at work
Blog
01 Oct 2018
Philip Taylor, Professor of Management at Federation University Australia, Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne, talks age at work.
Age as an asset. Are we doing right by older workers?
Blog
12 Jun 2018
Justine Irving, a leading age researcher in Australia, asks: Are we doing right by older workers?
Webcasts from past events
Sponsored by Suncorp
05 Dec 2019
What are the experiences of Australian workers when it comes to inclusion? DCA launched the second Inclusion at Work Index which maps and tracks inclusion in Australian workplaces.
29 Oct 2019
Is backlash good for diversity and inclusion? This is the question moderator Tony Jones posed at this year's DCA & MLC LIfe Insurance Annual Diversity Debate.