1. The Advantages of a Culturally Diverse Workforce
Dr Peter Streker
Victorian Health Promotion Foundation

4. Why does VicHealth focus on this?
Victoria is more culturally diverse than ever
Good health starts where we work, live and play
Racial discrimination can damage health and opportunities for wellbeing
Cultural diversity brings real benefits

5. Guiding framework Key contributing factors Themes for action
Individual
Organisational
Community
Societal
Themes for action
Actions to reduce discrimination and support diversity
Settings for action
Intermediate outcomes
Long term benefits

7. The Research
Almost 1 in 5 Australians has experienced race-based discrimination in the workplace.
Systemic race-based discrimination in the workplace occurs through avoidable and unfair differences in
recruitment and promotion
selection and interviewing
job allocation
performance evaluation
training
remuneration
dismissal
Trenerry, Franklin & Paradies (2012)

8. The financial costs of discrimination
Resolving serious discrimination and harassment grievances through formal processes approx $55,000 per case.
(NSW Dept of Premier & Cabinet )
Approx 70% of workers exposed to violence, harassment and discrimination take time off work

9. Physical & mental health benefits
Strong evidence that RBD leads to
higher rates of ill health, especially mental health and wellbeing problems such as anxiety, depression, stress and poor quality of life.
People reporting RBD more likely to be overweight or obese and engage in behaviours that cause poor health [e.g. smoking]
Productivity Commission found - mental health and nervous conditions, have largest impact on increasing workforce participation when addressed.

10. Innovation & Problem Solving
If diversity is well managed:
enhanced creativity, flexibility and problem solving skills.
More effective at working with culturally distinct clients & colleagues
Adler & Gunderson (2008)

11. More than reducing race-based discrimination
Supporting cultural diversity means respecting the different ways of living and valuing diversity as an asset.

12. Maximising benefits from cultural diversity:
Explicitly commit to racial equality and anti-discrimination in mission, values, goals, policies etc
Ensure job advertisements and application information accessible to people from diverse cultural backgrounds
Specific policies and procedures for responding to RBD - include clear examples of unacceptable practices behaviours.

13. Creating a Wave of Action through Partnerships

14. The Wave of Research Research: Bystander Effects on Children
Benefits of Cultural Diversity
Socialisation & racism
Costs of racism
Cyber-racism
Experiences of racism
DIRECT ATTACK = Bystander, children, cyber
EXCLUSION = experiences
UNDERMINING = benefits of CD, costs
BIAS = socialisation

15. Community Trials Local Government: Arts Arts About Us
LEAD
Municipal Association of Victoria
Arts
Arts About Us
Social Connections
Indigenous Arts program
DIRECT ATTACK = AAU
EXCLUSION = LEAD, Social Connections
UNDERMINING = LEAD, Indig Arts, MAV
BIAS = LEAD,

16. Community Trials Sports Workplace Bystander & FFV Everyone Wins
Creating Healthy Workplaces – VEOHRC & AMES
Australian Human Rights Commission & Diversity Council of Australia audit trial
DIRECT ATTACK = Sports
EXCLUSION = Sports
UNDERMINING = CHW
BIAS = CHW

17. Multi-layered Communications
Evidence Reviews
Summaries
Media campaigns
Arts performances
Social Media
DIRECT ATTACK = All comms
EXCLUSION = All comms
UNDERMINING = All comms
BIAS = All comms

18. Multi-layered Communications
Evaluations
Tools & Guides
Training courses
Workshops & Forums

19. For further information, go to www.vichealth.vic.gov.au