The Common Workplace Experiences: for the wellbeing of minority groups
Despite Cultural Diversity having a greater impact on innovation and organisation performance than gender, it remains an untapped and under-explored opportunity in one of the world’s most multicultural countries.
Most Australian organisations are failing to tap into a very substantial form of competitive advantage.
The Australian cultural landscape is quite complex, and likely preventing many organisations from making a start on what appears to be a complex issue.
But is it as complex as it seems?
Whilst there are a wealth of cultures and faiths in Australia, what’s become evident is there are common workplace experiences across minority groups, which may make embracing cultural diversity in all its rich tapestry, more achievable and less daunting than we may have anticipated.
Copyright I LEAD Consulting A summary of the factors impacting Wellbeing for Minority Groups
Wellbeing and Belonging is reducing for many minority groups
As Monash University’s longitudinal data confirms, Wellbeing and Belonging, (and the identification with Australia) are reducing for minority groups.
In a survey conducted over 6 years, Monash University set out to understand if wellbeing and belonging differed for those with different identities.
And what they learned, is identity matters.
As you can see from the graph below, it’s Australia’s First Nations’ peoples who are experiencing the lowest wellbeing and belonging. This is exacerbated by very high rates of every day discrimination and harassment, which the Diversity Council of Australia’s latest Inclusion@Work survey confirms, continues to increase.
Source: Monash University
The Monash survey also highlighted the more minority groups in your identity, (ie. intersectionality) the greater the likelihood and impact of reduced wellbeing and belonging. For example people on a low income, which many First Nations’ people are, suffer further reduced wellbeing and belonging because of both their cultural affiliation and its impact on their ability to earn a comfortable living.
The Common Causes of Reduced Wellbeing at Work
The graphic below gives you a snapshot of the workplace experiences for First Nations’ people, and the factors which contribute to reduced wellbeing. These include:
every day events such as identity strain, lack of cultural safety, reduced relationship capital, subtle exclusion, discounting of skills, knowledge and life experiences, in combination with a higher burden of proof of capability and a plethora of negative ‘micro’ interpersonal experiences.(1,2)
significant and severe experiences of discrimination, harassment and bullying, exclusion, racial slurs and racism, as well as reduced opportunities and slower rates of promotion.(1,2)
It’s not difficult to see how these experiences could impact wellbeing over time, and also not surprising those who frequently experience racism are almost five times more likely to have poor mental health and 2.5 times more likely to experience poor physical health.(3)
The data speaks for itself.
However, it’s worth remembering there are real people, who are suffering, behind the numbers.
Source: DCA; Jumbunna Institute; Smith; Yoshino; Goffman
What has become clear, is that these same everyday day experiences are common for all minority groups, although it’s important to recognise the frequency is much greater and the impact more severe for those with intersectional identities and Australia’s First Nations’ Peoples.
The everyday experiences in the workplace contributing to reduced wellbeing and burnout, have commonality for all minority groups.
The Common Solutions to the Common Causes
The identification of common causes across identities opens the possibility for common solutions.
At the heart of wellbeing and belonging at work and in life, is connection. Which makes meaningful connection at work an important starting point for all organisations, leaders and teams.
Leaders and managers have the largest impact on a team member’s experience of the workplace, so it’s vital they understand the significant role they play, not just in people’s professional lives, but also their personal lives.(6,7)
Elements of the workplace experience which can support the quality of connections and enhance wellbeing and belonging include:
Support and Partnership,
Autonomy and Empowerment, and
Creating a Workplace which Works for more of Us.
As the specific solutions for different workplace contexts will vary, I offer a discovery based coaching approach, to help you uncover what solutions might work best in your unique organisation and context.
Connection and Support: all humans need connection to thrive and feel like they belong. The active support of others with influence is vital to progressing at work. And progression at work, is central to wellbeing and evidence of acceptance and belonging.(1,4,5)
What is your organisation doing to enable both connection and support for your minority groups to belong and progress?
Inclusion for everyone equally, relies on leaders and teams creating connection and support for everyone equally.
Autonomy and Empowerment: individuals (and teams) can’t thrive without having some control over their needs. Autonomy and empowerment enable self determination.
What is your organisation doing to empower and create self efficacy for your minority groups?
A partnership approach by those with influence, enables the ability for groups to design their own solutions and create their own outcomes in a way which feels authentic, rather than forced.
A partnership model which provides minority groups with the ability to determine what they need in the way they need it, which is then supported by those with influence, maximises outcomes.
A Workplace which Works for more of Us: through flexibility and accommodations. Creating a workplace which offers the flexibility to enable individuals to deliver outcomes in a way which works for them, makes a material difference to the effectiveness, success, wellbeing and belonging of minority groups.(2)
What is your organisation doing to create a workplace which enables everyone equally to thrive, not just survive?
Self determination and a partnership approach, are key components of creating wellbeing and belonging in the workplace.
Source: Diversity Council Australia
The Rewards for Creating Wellbeing in the Workplace for Minority Groups are High
Organisations which have embedded wellbeing into their culture are:
- 20x more likely to exceed financial targets;
- 15x more likely to engage and retain people;
- 10x more likely to have lower absenteeism
- 5x more likely to recruit new talent.
Source: Bersin
It’s vital senior decision makers understand both the very compelling rewards Cultural Diversity has the potential to offer, in addition to the risks associated with ignoring psychosocial hazards and discriminatory behaviour.
It is the diversity which creates the value for organisations, not more of the same.
#Flexible, #respectful and #safe cultures, which create the wellbeing of your highest value talent, maximise performance and rewards.
How will you support and enable the Common Solutions in your organisation?
At I LEAD Consulting we’re on a mission to simplify Diversity and Inclusion for Leaders and Teams.
PRACTICE INCLUSION | EMBRACE DIVERSITY | ACTIVATE ALLIES
1. McQuaid & Paige; 2. Monash University; 3. Victorian Department of Health & Human Services; 4. Long; 5. Lau; 6. Deloitte; 7. Gallup
