Employers see a plus in diversity
I have had subtle experiences of discrimination as a female and then being Maori as well. However I am very clear about my strengths and they are in developing relationships with key people and organisations. In fact I see it as a strength in my favour when this attitude plays Employers are increasingly taking advantage of the diversity of their workforce to access opportunities in new markets, according to recent research.
To mark its launch, organisation Super Diverse Women commissioned a survey of almost 300 Kiwis on their experiences of discrimination and diversity in New Zealand and in the workforce.
The survey, by Pauline Colmar one of the founders of Colmar Brunton, found half of those surveyed wanted different services and products from the rest of the population.
Organisation chairwoman Mai Chen said it was important to cater to this growing market.
Almost 50 per cent of the talent pool in Auckland are migrants or their New Zealandborn children, says Chen, who said it was important employers appreciated this.
“For employers, it’s about recruiting the right talent because you need to recruit from the market to service the market and as the talent pool has changed, so has the customer pool.”
Diversity Works New Zealand chief executive Bev Cassidy-MacKenzie said the conversation was moving away from creating a diverse workforce to using the diversity in the existing workforce.
“Employers are taking a positive look at this and taking advantage of what they already have,” she said.
Cassidy-MacKenzie said organisations that didn’t use the diversity inherent in the workforce risked missing out on a competitive advantage.
Several organisations have Focus on the positive aspects and the richness that each culture brings to Aotearoa. At Waitangi the media almost always has such a negative spin on the event. also been working towards more diverse and inclusive workplaces, including insurance company nib. Chief executive Rob Hennin said: “We have about 180 or 190 staff here in New Zealand and over 20 nationalities, and around 60 per cent of our leadership team are women.
“So naturally we’re very interested in diversity and what it brings to our culture.
“But we also know that diversity makes a huge difference to the creativity within a company, to the problem solving and to making the [working] environment a good one.”
The company also needed to do what was right for its customers and others. The official launch of Super Diverse Women will be held tonight in the iHeart Lounge at NZME.