Dear diverse employees. It has come to our attention that the initiatives we're putting in place to support. You are underappreciated and underutilized. We have given you incredible perks like Denim Mondays, a ping pong table work from home Tuesdays and a lightly subsidized first beverage at the local pub on Friday afternoons.

Dear diverse employees. It has come to our attention that the initiatives we're putting in place to support. You are underappreciated and underutilized. We have given you incredible perks like Denim Mondays, a ping pong table work from home Tuesdays and a lightly subsidized first beverage at the local pub on Friday afternoons.

We pride ourselves on being a family. Clearly, this is a great space for diverse people to work because you are here and we would love for you to join us with your very own executive office on the top level. The one where the bathroom has three play toilet paper city views and your very own air conditioning remote, but we can't force you to have ambition.

We pride ourselves on being a family. Clearly, this is a great space for diverse people to work because you are here and we would love for you to join us with your very own executive office on the top level. The one where the bathroom has three play toilet paper city views and your very own air conditioning remote, but we can't force you to have ambition.

Not a single one of you attended our diversity morning tea on Tuesday. The Monte Carlos sat untouched while the chi tea lattes formed that skin on top, rendering them undrinkable. We ask you, is it so hard to walk up 13 flights of stairs to accelerate one's career? What will it take for us to see people of all backgrounds, cultures and abilities here? Working side by side with us in corporate heaven.

Not a single one of you attended our diversity morning tea on Tuesday. The Monte Carlos sat untouched while the chi tea lattes formed that skin on top, rendering them undrinkable. We ask you, is it so hard to walk up 13 flights of stairs to accelerate one's career? What will it take for us to see people of all backgrounds, cultures and abilities here? Working side by side with us in corporate heaven.

People like you tell us we are all ears sincerely, people and culture PS. There is a photo opportunity tomorrow at the Mixed Bag Inclusion Initiative. It will feature on the front cover of the annual report. So it'd be really great to see some of you care enough to attend.

People like you tell us we are all ears sincerely, people and culture PS. There is a photo opportunity tomorrow at the Mixed Bag Inclusion Initiative. It will feature on the front cover of the annual report. So it'd be really great to see some of you care enough to attend.

Imagine if your people and culture department treated you like that. Although sadly, there do seem to be instances where even well intentioned hints at flexibility and diversity in the workplace are framed as special treats rather than the norm.

Imagine if your people and culture department treated you like that. Although sadly, there do seem to be instances where even well intentioned hints at flexibility and diversity in the workplace are framed as special treats rather than the norm.

I'm Rae Johnston and welcome to Getting it right. This is a podcast from Jobs Bank that helps you hire a more dynamic, flexible, diverse workforce and how to design your workplace to keep those hires.

I'm Rae Johnston and welcome to Getting it right. This is a podcast from Jobs Bank that helps you hire a more dynamic, flexible, diverse workforce and how to design your workplace to keep those hires.

So what does flexibility in the workplace really mean? And how can you achieve it in your organization?

So what does flexibility in the workplace really mean? And how can you achieve it in your organization?

One of the most important things in the shift of flexibility is trust. We have to move towards at an organizational level, a trust in employees.

One of the most important things in the shift of flexibility is trust. We have to move towards at an organizational level, a trust in employees.

This is Karina Davis, she's the CEO of Jobsbank , a not for profit that works with businesses to increase employer inclusivity and therefore fill workforce gaps.

This is Karina Davis, she's the CEO of Jobsbank , a not for profit that works with businesses to increase employer inclusivity and therefore fill workforce gaps.

So from my perspective, we can make it really complex or we can make it relatively simple. There's a list of all these things that make it really hard at its most simple. I think flexibility in the workplace is about meeting the individual and it's a about understanding what the individual has to offer. It's about the skills and capabilities that they bring and it's about their life, reality. And so it's putting those things together to say, ok, we want this person at our workplace, they bring skill and capability for us. And so how do we meet them and come together so that they can live their best life and they can work and flourish for the organization and for the employer,

So from my perspective, we can make it really complex or we can make it relatively simple. There's a list of all these things that make it really hard at its most simple. I think flexibility in the workplace is about meeting the individual and it's a about understanding what the individual has to offer. It's about the skills and capabilities that they bring and it's about their life, reality. And so it's putting those things together to say, ok, we want this person at our workplace, they bring skill and capability for us. And so how do we meet them and come together so that they can live their best life and they can work and flourish for the organization and for the employer,

it wasn't really until the pandemic that working from home became something that was normal for a lot of different people in different roles to do. But when we think about workplace flexibility is it only about the choice in where you can work from?

it wasn't really until the pandemic that working from home became something that was normal for a lot of different people in different roles to do. But when we think about workplace flexibility is it only about the choice in where you can work from?

No, absolutely not. I've come into the role of CEO of Jobs Bank from education and I spent a long time in education. When we think about how flexibility can work for people and how it can bring people more successfully and efficiently into the workplace, then we can have a look at other places like education about how do they make students flourish in their learning environment. Because at work, we want people to be efficient and effective and to flourish. Actually,

No, absolutely not. I've come into the role of CEO of Jobs Bank from education and I spent a long time in education. When we think about how flexibility can work for people and how it can bring people more successfully and efficiently into the workplace, then we can have a look at other places like education about how do they make students flourish in their learning environment. Because at work, we want people to be efficient and effective and to flourish. Actually,

you're the CEO of Jobs Bank, how do you create a flexible workplace?

you're the CEO of Jobs Bank, how do you create a flexible workplace?

We have a small team and I have to acknowledge it's a small team with people with complex lives and we adjust and adapt to those complex lives in all sorts of ways. For one of our staff members has complex carer needs. What we do is we figure out what are the days where it's possible to come into the office and what are the days where it isn't? But then there's a

We have a small team and I have to acknowledge it's a small team with people with complex lives and we adjust and adapt to those complex lives in all sorts of ways. For one of our staff members has complex carer needs. What we do is we figure out what are the days where it's possible to come into the office and what are the days where it isn't? But then there's a

sorts of other things that need to be adjusted for. How do we have transparent operational plans and transparency here across the team about all the things we're working on. What that does though is means that we've also adjusted for other people. We have men at Jobs Bank who want to take on more substantial caring roles of their children. And that's made those conversations possible

sorts of other things that need to be adjusted for. How do we have transparent operational plans and transparency here across the team about all the things we're working on. What that does though is means that we've also adjusted for other people. We have men at Jobs Bank who want to take on more substantial caring roles of their children. And that's made those conversations possible

and all of that flexibility when we meet the individual and meet and understand what they want for themselves. But we also want to capitalize on their skills and capabilities means that we just run around each other. And it doesn't be so difficult actually.

and all of that flexibility when we meet the individual and meet and understand what they want for themselves. But we also want to capitalize on their skills and capabilities means that we just run around each other. And it doesn't be so difficult actually.

How important is it to have flexibility, role modeled in the leadership team of an organization?

How important is it to have flexibility, role modeled in the leadership team of an organization?

I think that there's two kind of approaches to flexibility, there's a management approach and that's kind of like all of the realities of making it work. And then there's absolutely a leadership approach to that. We have to have the attitude and the mindsets for flexibility. It has to be modeled. We have to call things in, not just call things out, we can call out behaviors that mean it's really difficult for people to come in and work. But we also need to celebrate and highlight the times when it does work. One of the most important things in the shift of flexibility is trust. We have to move towards at an organizational level, a trust in employees. I think that before COVID, everyone had to be in, we had to see the work, we had to see people doing the work at their desks.

I think that there's two kind of approaches to flexibility, there's a management approach and that's kind of like all of the realities of making it work. And then there's absolutely a leadership approach to that. We have to have the attitude and the mindsets for flexibility. It has to be modeled. We have to call things in, not just call things out, we can call out behaviors that mean it's really difficult for people to come in and work. But we also need to celebrate and highlight the times when it does work. One of the most important things in the shift of flexibility is trust. We have to move towards at an organizational level, a trust in employees. I think that before COVID, everyone had to be in, we had to see the work, we had to see people doing the work at their desks.

There was a whole lot of rigidity and direction that was perceived as being needed in the workplace. And that to me has a lot to do with trust. And my experience of putting trust in people is that that trust is so so rewarded by multiples because people will go over and above what they need to do for their job because they know that they're trusted to do that as a leader of an organization, it's really important for me to constantly reflect on

There was a whole lot of rigidity and direction that was perceived as being needed in the workplace. And that to me has a lot to do with trust. And my experience of putting trust in people is that that trust is so so rewarded by multiples because people will go over and above what they need to do for their job because they know that they're trusted to do that as a leader of an organization, it's really important for me to constantly reflect on

before I make a judgment or make a call on what's possible for an organization to manage is really questioning what I don't know and what I can't see about people's lives.

before I make a judgment or make a call on what's possible for an organization to manage is really questioning what I don't know and what I can't see about people's lives.

Some HR teams have a huge number of employees, you know, these complex payroll systems, all these different rostered hours. How can the needs of individuals to shift their hours of work around? How does that work in practice in circumstances like this?

Some HR teams have a huge number of employees, you know, these complex payroll systems, all these different rostered hours. How can the needs of individuals to shift their hours of work around? How does that work in practice in circumstances like this?

I think that's interesting. I've come from an organization where there's hundreds of teachers and there are some constraints to flexibility. Of course, there are nine o'clock starts in a school you need the teachers in front of the kids. Unless we're in COVID lockdown, you still need the teachers in front of the kids online. We've got nurses and hospitals to run, we've got factory lines to keep going. We've got bus drivers that we need to run buses and trains and trams on time. So there is absolutely some constraints.

I think that's interesting. I've come from an organization where there's hundreds of teachers and there are some constraints to flexibility. Of course, there are nine o'clock starts in a school you need the teachers in front of the kids. Unless we're in COVID lockdown, you still need the teachers in front of the kids online. We've got nurses and hospitals to run, we've got factory lines to keep going. We've got bus drivers that we need to run buses and trains and trams on time. So there is absolutely some constraints.

Ok. What about outside of white collar industries and offices? How can employers be more flexible if the workplace is a hospital or a construction site or a factory where the structure is a bit more rigid like with shift rostering?

Ok. What about outside of white collar industries and offices? How can employers be more flexible if the workplace is a hospital or a construction site or a factory where the structure is a bit more rigid like with shift rostering?

I was just reading a article this morning that talked about how do we provide the shift rotering process? How do we give that back to people? And so if we were more transparent about those shifts and rosters, would people step in to being able to opt into the shifts that they can work? And can we trust that that means that the business needs would be met? That's a really interesting experience. So this article that I was reading this morning, which was about what happened if instead of seeing one person is doing the roster, we opened the roster up. We had job share. Job share wasn't set days necessarily what happens if you had someone coming in for a morning and not an afternoon, there are all of those sorts of things that can work and people are out there making it work. It's just that we have to be open and trusting that we can open little bits do innovative trials here and there and see how that happens.

I was just reading a article this morning that talked about how do we provide the shift rotering process? How do we give that back to people? And so if we were more transparent about those shifts and rosters, would people step in to being able to opt into the shifts that they can work? And can we trust that that means that the business needs would be met? That's a really interesting experience. So this article that I was reading this morning, which was about what happened if instead of seeing one person is doing the roster, we opened the roster up. We had job share. Job share wasn't set days necessarily what happens if you had someone coming in for a morning and not an afternoon, there are all of those sorts of things that can work and people are out there making it work. It's just that we have to be open and trusting that we can open little bits do innovative trials here and there and see how that happens.

Karina. What's an example of an organization that's really nailed having a flexible space

Karina. What's an example of an organization that's really nailed having a flexible space

in terms of the flexible and inclusive workspaces. I just want to call out social enterprises, social enterprises are regularly core to their business models. Working is to create open employer, employee relationships that welcome those who have struggled to get into the workforce back into the workforce and make that work.

in terms of the flexible and inclusive workspaces. I just want to call out social enterprises, social enterprises are regularly core to their business models. Working is to create open employer, employee relationships that welcome those who have struggled to get into the workforce back into the workforce and make that work.

In the case of some disability services, they're looking at what are the actual tasks needed in this moment? And can we break the sub parts of tasks up and give some subparts to someone who's got those skills and another piece of sub tasks to somebody else who's got those skills and you're not doubling a workforce, you're just splitting the work differently.

In the case of some disability services, they're looking at what are the actual tasks needed in this moment? And can we break the sub parts of tasks up and give some subparts to someone who's got those skills and another piece of sub tasks to somebody else who's got those skills and you're not doubling a workforce, you're just splitting the work differently.

We've got social enterprises who are working with youth and really looking at youth disengagement as an issue. And how do you create an inclusive environment so that youth want to step into work and provide the supports about the struggles to start to work? What language do you use at work if it's not been modeled at home, how do you understand that you need to show up at nine and leave at five? And what's the value of that? So really active support of youth in that space, giving them the opportunity to try lots of different aspects of jobs so they can land what their passion and commitment is in terms of a career forging for themselves. There's all sorts of social enterprise organizations who are doing that work and corporate organizations, larger organizations have got a lot to learn from there. And our challenge for innovation is how do we scale that up? How do we learn and make that work in a bigger picture?

We've got social enterprises who are working with youth and really looking at youth disengagement as an issue. And how do you create an inclusive environment so that youth want to step into work and provide the supports about the struggles to start to work? What language do you use at work if it's not been modeled at home, how do you understand that you need to show up at nine and leave at five? And what's the value of that? So really active support of youth in that space, giving them the opportunity to try lots of different aspects of jobs so they can land what their passion and commitment is in terms of a career forging for themselves. There's all sorts of social enterprise organizations who are doing that work and corporate organizations, larger organizations have got a lot to learn from there. And our challenge for innovation is how do we scale that up? How do we learn and make that work in a bigger picture?

That's Dr Karina Davis, the CEO of Jobs Bank on creating an inclusively flexible workspace. And there are plenty more practical tips at Jobsbank 's resource center. You can find it at Jobs Bank dot org dot A U,

That's Dr Karina Davis, the CEO of Jobs Bank on creating an inclusively flexible workspace. And there are plenty more practical tips at Jobsbank 's resource center. You can find it at Jobs Bank dot org dot A U,

I'm Rae Johnston getting it right is a podcast from Jobs Bank and it's produced by Dead Set Studios. You can follow the podcast in the podcast app of your choice. That way you never miss an episode.

I'm Rae Johnston getting it right is a podcast from Jobs Bank and it's produced by Dead Set Studios. You can follow the podcast in the podcast app of your choice. That way you never miss an episode.

This episode was recorded on the unceded lands of the sovereign Darug, Gandangara and Wiradjuri peoples and the Wiradjuri and Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. It was produced and edited on the lands of the Turrbal and Yuggera people. We wish to pay our deepest respects to their Elders past and present. And we ask that you too acknowledge the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander lands on which you're listening from.

This episode was recorded on the unceded lands of the sovereign Darug, Gandangara and Wiradjuri peoples and the Wiradjuri and Woiwurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation. It was produced and edited on the lands of the Turrbal and Yuggera people. We wish to pay our deepest respects to their Elders past and present. And we ask that you too acknowledge the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander lands on which you're listening from.