Over one-third of employers have no hiring diversity policy

Failing at the first hurdle: Over one-third of Kiwi employers have no diversity policy in place for hiring new staff

Only 37% of organisations in New Zealand have a diversity policy in place for hiring new staff, and of these almost four in ten (39%) either don’t know if it is adhered to or admit that it is generally not adhered to, according to recruiting experts Hays.

Meanwhile 40% of organisations have no diversity policy in place for hiring new staff, and 23% are genuinely unsure if they have such a policy in place.

“Clearly we still need to have conversations around diversity – after all not only are we yet to achieve real workplace diversity but a significant number of employers either don’t have a diversity policy in place for recruitment, or don’t know if they have one,” says Jason Walker, Managing Director of Hays in New Zealand.

“Despite all the talk, genuine workplace diversity won’t be achieved if organisations can’t even take the matter seriously enough to put a policy in place then educate hiring managers about it and its practical application,” he said.

This survey was also conducted in Australia, and the results show our Aussie neighbours are performing slightly better when it comes to diversity policies. In Australia one half (52%) of organisations have a diversity policy in place for hiring new staff. Of these 32% don’t know if it is adhered to or admit that it is generally not adhered to, which while still a concern is not as high as New Zealand’s 39%.

These findings were revealed in the 2016 Hays Salary Guide, which includes salary and recruiting trends for over 1,000 roles. It is based on a survey of 419 organisations in New Zealand, representing 245,716 employees, as well as placements made by Hays.

While a policy is one important element in creating a diverse workforce, it will not succeed in isolation. Other strategies to help create a diverse workforce can be found in Hays’ The Balancing Act: Creating A Diverse Workforce report, released last year, and include:
• Culture: This includes a culture that is inclusive and supports diversity, with a leader who is publicly committed to diversity, and a public face in support of diversity that is a true representation of the actions taken internally.

• Voluntary targets: From shortlist to workforce targets, many people argue that the greatest diversity results will be achieved when set quotas are in place.

• Accountability: One thing all organisations that are known for diversity have in common is their regular monitoring and reporting of diversity progress.

• Education: Education at all levels can improve awareness on diversity-related issues, and provide training for hiring managers on how to recruit for diversity. Unconscious bias should also be addressed.

• Development programs: Development programs aimed specifically at minority groups can support employees from specific or under-represented backgrounds.

Get your copy of the 2016 Hays Salary Guide by visiting www.hays.net.nz/salary, contacting your local Hays office or downloading The Hays Salary Guide 2016 iPhone app from iTunes.

Hays is the most followed recruitment agency on LinkedIn in the world. Join our growing network by following Hays Worldwide. You can also get expert advice, insights and the latest recruitment news by following us on Twitter @HaysNewZealand.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

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