Instructions:

I NEED 4 DIFFERENT CRITICAL REFLECTION ACCORDING TO THE WEEK (WEEK 9 - WEEK 12)

write a critical reflection based on the material presented and learnings.

It is based on our own thoughts, feelings, and experiences should form the bulk of the reflection, relaying how we understand the material presented, with a goal of personal growth and transformation. Critically exploring our own values, beliefs, and practicesin a structured and explicit way, facilitates life-long learning and allows us to develop. As reflective writing is a formal academic genre, it is important that we still use published theory against which to reflect and analyze our experiences, with a coherent and cohesive written structure.

WEEK 9

Materials:

Diversity - what is it and why does it matter?

Thomas and Ely (1998) - diversity should be understood as the varied perspectives and approaches to work that members of different identity groups bring.

Cox (2001), claims diversity is the variation of social and cultural identities among people existing together in a defined employment or marketing setting ethnicity and race

Dimensions

- observable differences

- Less observable differences

- having employees with a wide group of attributes and backgrounds provides many benefits to organisations

Konrad (2003)

- diversity helps to attract the best quality candidates from all groups in the community

- diversity helps organisations connect with the community in ways that homogenous groups do not

- diverse groups can outperform their counterparts because of the skills, experiences and other factors that they bring to the organisations

The nature of disadvantage

Disadvantage is multi-faceted and fluid.

It can be exacerbated by economic and regulatory restructuring'

Manifestations of disadvantage include: precarious employment (casual, part-time, temporary), under-employment and greater wage dispersion (gap between low and high paid)

Risks faced by disadvantaged workers:

- Long-term unemployment

- Shorter working hours

- Work intensification

- Job insecurity

- Discrimination, e.g. at recruitment

The labour market, segregation and inequality

- Diversity management seeks to overcome labour market segregation and inequality through addressing inequalities based on difference

- However, causes of such segregation, disadvantage and inequality need to be identified and examined before we can begin analysing diversity management in its many forms.

- Managing diversity is linked to providing opportunities for groups that traditionally have been left out of the Australian labour market

Factors contributing to segregation and inequality

Labour market disadvantage

Certain groups seeking employment or in employment may suffer restricted access to employment or to decent jobs because of dimensions of diversity or personal characteristics unrelated to employment.

Labour market disadvantage

Can be exacerbated by economic and regulatory restructuring, including floating exchange rate, loss of tariffs and other free-market reforms, a shrinking manufacturing sector where unskilled and semi-skilled jobs were located.

Equity Groups

- Women

Male breadwinner model

of employment

Is a model of paid employment based on presumption that a heterosexual man is main income source for a wife and children.

Make up majority of workers in precarious employment where wages and conditions governed by mainstream labour protections, and not enterprise agreements.

Organisational policy, industrial relations policy and government policy all intersect to impact on how women are able to participate in paid employment.

- Migrants

Employment

65% of the 1.7 million recent migrants and temporary residents were employedMigrants who had obtained Australian citizenship since arrival were more likely to be employed(75%) of Skilled migrants were employedTemporary residents on student visas were less likely to be employed than other temporary residentsmen were more likely to be employed full time than women

Unemployment Rate

recent migrants and temporary residents was 7.4%5.4% for people born in Australia.Migrants with Australian citizenship of 3.3%,temporary residents 8.6%recent migrants on a permanent visa 8.8%.

- People with a disability

Almost 18% per cent of the population has a disability.

lower level of workforce participation 53% compared to 83%

25% severe compared to 64%

Male more likely to be in the labour force than females

Graduates with disability take 61.5% longer to gain fulltime employment

1 in 5 almost 19% experience discrimination

- Aging Workforce

Australia has an ageing workforce.By 2045, a quarter of the population will be over 65 (currently one in four is over 55).With increasing life expectancy, more older workers are available.However, half are not in workforce.Employer discrimination an issue.Need for flexible work arrangements.Discrimination at recruitment occurs.Paradox - skill gaps require retention of older workers yet employer attitudes to older workers remain negative.

WEEK 10

Materials:

- https://theconversation.com/the-gap-will-never-close-if-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-students-dont-feel-safe-on-university-campuses-180234

Case Study 11.1 - Employers can recruit exclusively Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander talent Australia's discrimination laws were put in place to ensure people aren't treated adversely due to their race, culture, gender, religion, age or disability. For employment, that generally means you can't hire or refuse to hire someone based on those characteristics. However, there are provisions in place that recognise that some marginalised communities, such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, face disadvantages that make targeted recruitment desirable. Firstly, there are 'special measure' exceptions which aim to help disadvantaged candidates. The second is 'genuine occupational requirements' meaning that a person's age/sex/race etc. is a requirement of that specific role, for example hiring an Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander candidate to fill the role of an Indigenous liaison officer. Special measure exemptions can apply to those who possesses a protected characteristic. This means if an employer believes they're able to combat an area of disadvantage or discrimination by employing an Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander staff member, they are legally able to limit their recruitment pool to include those candidates exclusively. A report by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission cites the example of a healthcare organisation that felt hiring Aboriginal female practitioners would help to attract more Aboriginal female patients to the facility. If you want to create a position for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, you will need to determine whether the action you take is a special measure and is not discriminatory. You need to ask yourself whether the measure is necessary, genuine and justifiable given the needs of the group who will benefit. These acts of 'positive discrimination' - also referred to as 'positive acts' - can pertain to fulltime employment opportunities, mentorship or training programs and, in some cases, university degrees. In all jurisdictions, aside from NSW, an employer must meet certain requirements before a targeted recruitment strategy will be deemed a 'positive action. In order to meet these requirements, employers must be able to prove that a targeted recruitment strategy: 1. Is necessary because members of a racial group are disadvantaged because of their race 2. Will promote equal opportunity for members of that racial group 3. Has the sole purpose of promoting equal opportunity 4. Is reasonable and proportionate 5. Will stop once its purpose has been achieved Employers in all states, except NSW, don't need to apply for special consideration if they'd like to create a position specifically for a someone from a marginalised community, like an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidate. But they do have to be prepared to explain their targeted recruitment and should minimise the risk of complaints. NSW is a bit different from the other states in that you do have to make an application for exemption for special measures. Employers in NSW wanting to conduct targeted recruitment must apply for an exemption to the President of the Anti-Discrimination Board NSW under s 126 of the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW). The Anti-Discrimination Board NSW publishes these exemptions on its website and expressly categorises exemptions granted to include designating positions for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people. A handy tip: The Australian Human Rights Commission has provided employers with the following template to include in all job advertisements should they consider creating an Indigenous targeted role.

WEEK 11

https://theconversation.com/20-years-of-tracking-sexual-harassment-at-work-shows-little-improvement-but-that-could-be-about-to-change-195554

(TALK ABOUT THIS ARTICLE.)

WEEK 12

Materials:

What is a workplace policy?