Diversity Policy: Analysis of Australian Workplace Regulations

This report analyzes the implementation and importance of diversity policies within the Australian workplace, focusing on the legal framework and best practices. It examines the various acts and regulations, including the Age Discrimination Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Racial Discrimination Act, Sex Discrimination Act, and the Workplace Gender Equality Act. The report emphasizes the importance of creating mentorship programs, developing diversity-friendly policies, and offering diverse opportunities for employee engagement. It also covers recruitment processes, training on workplace diversity, and addresses harassment issues. The report highlights the role of the Fair Work Ombudsman and the consequences of breaching diversity policies, including potential penalties. Finally, the report suggests audit and review measures for companies to ensure they meet the demands and legal framework of the Australian government, promoting diversity in all aspects of the company culture. Desklib provides this and other past papers and solved assignments to help students understand these crucial concepts.

Running Head: DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Diversity Policy in Workplace
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Introduction
As compared to the operation al aspects that are associated with the organization, it is
considered to be a stated part that in order to ensure whether the organization are systematically
meeting the legal obligation for the purpose of following the key major principles associated
with the workplace diversity in the business culture and practice, it is important for the respective
management of the organization to develop and implement an effective form of diversity policy.
This will help them under the area of evaluating and understanding the diverse effects in the
workplace along with developing a better system of respect to the public and the customers.
Diversity policy is also considered to be a strong and adaptive platform which enhances
organizations standings and competitiveness within the community which will also help under
the area of adopting a positive effect in morale and satisfaction associated with the staff members
in the organization (Lambert 2016). The respective policy is applicable and is related to every
staff member in the organization on a casual, contracted, permanent and part-time basis.
For a respective organization, there is no any mode of legal requirement to follow and
maintain a particular diversity policy. On the other hand, it is considered to be an important
segment for the organization to strictly adhere to the core operational principles based on equity
and diversity.
As compared to several policies that are associated with the system of common wealth
anti-discrimination legislation, the employer of the organization will be punished legally for any
harassment and discrimination caused between the employees within the organization. Thus, it is
understandable that implementation of diversity policy within the internal environment of the

2DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
organization help them to develop a better mode management system and organizational culture
with encouraging and supporting the system of diversity within workplace.
Purpose
The purpose if this paper is to analyses the existing policies of the Australia government
that has been mandated to be followed by the organizations operating in the market currently.
Through proper understanding of the acts like Age Discrimination Act, Disability Discrimination
Act, Racial Discrimination Act, Sex Discrimination Act, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission Act, the companies will be able initiate or bring changes in their policies.
Scope
The scope of this study is to point out the factors that the organizations operating in this
Australian market by utilizing the human workforce. Through this, the companies will have a
concrete idea about how to being changes in their human resource management systems.
Objectives
This study has the objectives to find an opportunity for the employees in the local and
multinational companies to gain information about their rights and ask for improvement to
ensure currency and efficacy of the diversity and equity policy in their companies.

3DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Promotion or strategies for workplace Diversity
The first and foremost factor is associated with the system of creating mentorship
programs within the internal environment of the organization. Hiring diverse workforce within
the organization is considered to be an important part, on the other hand conducting recruitment
programs are regarded as the key major component required to be implemented in the
organization. It is generally adopted to ensure that each and every employee within the
organization has the equal opportunity for development. Employees with higher potential must
be given mentors irrespective of their race, sex, age and many other factors.
Some of the key major Acts which are applicable and required to be systematically
followed within the internal environment of the organization associated with the system of
workplace diversity are based on Age discrimination act, Disability discrimination act, Racial
discrimination act, sex discrimination act, Workplace Gender Equality act and many others.
Some of the major factors which are required to be adopted and implemented within the
workplace to ensure adaptive mode of workplace diversity are mentioned below:
As compared to the Workplace gender quality act 2012, it basically provides regulatory
framework to Australian government in the area of assisting the employers in improving the
outcomes related to gender quality in workplace (Cook and Glass 2015). Under this
respective part it is the core responsibility of the managers within the organization to offer
adequate and effective training and development programs to the employees to maintain strong
system of diversity in the workplace. When the implementation of workplace diversity in the
organization becomes more effective this can help them to manage the systematic usage of

4DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
organizational resources along with increasing the potential of workplace to operate with more
sustainability and competitiveness in the future.
The second major factor associated with the part of creating and developing diversity
friendly policies related to workforce within the organization. As compared to Racial
discrimination act 1975, employees must be given equal consideration under the area of
certain factors that are associated with race, nationality, color, ethnic and many others (Davis,
Frolova and Callahan 2016). Employees of the organization must be given opportunity in the
area of participating under any religion-based holidays and must be given flexibility to work
under actual working hours. These desired policies can help the organization in developing
diverse friendly workplace.
One of the most important core factors under the area of implementing the system of
workplace diversity within the organization is associated with the system of offering diverse
opportunities for engagement of employees (Barak 2016). Employees within the organization
must be given equal importance where it is important to involve them under any decision-making
segment of the organization.
As per several factors that are associated with the system of sex discrimination act 1984
every employee must be given equal consideration under the area of undertaking any
organization functioning. They must be given equal importance and opportunity to participate
without creating any discrepancies under the area of personal sex, sexual harassment, pregnancy
and many others while performing with an organization.
Workers must not be treated on a separate basis considering their health-related factors
where this is clearly stated under the system of Disability discrimination act 1992 where the

5DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
breach of this respective part is considered to be a punishable part as compared to the functional
aspect of the organization and the employers on a complete basis.
Recruitment process to maintain Workplace Diversity
It is considered to be a stated factor that, during the time of conducting interviews within
the organization as compared to Racial Discrimination Act and Sex Discrimination Act, the
employees must be given equal importance under this respective part where any mode
discrimination made between the employees in terms of race, sex and gender are considered to
be an unacceptable offense.
Some of the core major factors that are associated with the respective segment in the area
of preventing any mode of discrimination issues pertaining within the organization during the
time of conducting recruitment process are mentioned below.
 The first and foremost factor is related to the system of developing a grievance
management, Employees must be given clear knowledge and ideas in the area of
complaining against any mode of harassment and discrimination caused to them under
this respective part.
 Selection and recruitment training generally give more emphasis under the area of giving
more emphasis on non-discriminatory practices during the conduct of recruitment and
selection process. Several strategies required to be implemented in order to avoid any
form of direct and indirect discrimination in selection and recruitment process must be
compulsorily explored and identified.

6DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Training on Workplace Diversity
Training function is generally categorized under two major heads compared to the system
of workplace diversity in the organization. This generally involves ethnic and human rights
training.
 Ethical training in general gives more emphasis under the area of ethical functioning and
code of conduct which is associated with the respective industry and the types under
which it basically operates.
 Training associated with the system of human rights generally gives more emphasis
under the area of legislation based on human rights, responsibilities and several factors
related to the system of people rights. This generally gives more emphasis under the
system of Disability Discrimination act 1992 where it gives more importance to people
working under disability sector, refugees and many others.
Harassment in workplace Diversity
Harassment caused within the organization is considered to be the particular segment
which is completely against law (Al-Jenaibi 2017). This is generally underpinned by series of
State/territory and Common wealth acts that basically forms a legislative policy implemented by
organization in order to address potential claims related to harassment, bullying and
discrimination.
Some of the major common wealth laws relating to harassment are Australian Human
Rights Commission Act 1986, Racial Hatred Act 1995, Sex Discrimination Act 1984, Disability
Discrimination Act 1992.

7DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Some of the major core responsibility of the organization is to create awareness about the
responsibility in the area of protecting individual rights through developing a strong form of anti-
harassment and anti-discrimination policy with required and associated procedures implemented
in the workplace.
Breach of policy.
Australia has a very strict and powerful system namely Fair Work Ombudsman
depending upon the Fair Work act of 2009. This particular act takes strict punitive measures
against the institutions breaching the policies. The adverse actions relate to unethical dismissal of
employees, injuring employees during their employment, altering the position of an employee to
their detriment, discriminating among the employees, refusing to employ a prospective employee
and discrimination on terms or conditions of their employment. In case, the employees are
dismissed on the ground of sex, disability, age and on any other ground the companies are hold
responsible and they are to give penalties. The maximum penalty for this particular contravention
regarding unlawful discrimination protection is more than $12,600 per contravention for the
individuals and $63,000 per contravention for a company.
Audit or Review:
In order to meet the demands and legal framework of the Australian government in terms
of Fair Work Ombudsman, the companies need to keep on building significant relationship with
people take other measures.

8DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
Firstly, they need to incorporate a detailed discussion about the diversity including
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, language, socio-economic status, age, religion, physical and
mental ability, experience, thinking styles and education.
Secondly a detailed discussion about the punitive measures for breaching these company
polices need to be given to the workforce so that they have perfect knowledge about the demands
of the issue and be careful to meet it.
Finally, the company must promote these diversities in every way so that this is reflected through
the culture of the company.

9DIVERSITY POLICY IN WORKPLACE
References
Al-Jenaibi, B., 2017. The scope and impact of workplace diversity in the United Arab Emirates–
A preliminary study. Geografia-Malaysian Journal of Society and Space, 8(1).
Barak, M.E.M., 2016. Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage
Publications.
Cook, A. and Glass, C., 2015. The power of one or power in numbers? Analyzing the effect of
minority leaders on diversity policy and practice. Work and Occupations, 42(2), pp.183-215.
Davis, P.J., Frolova, Y. and Callahan, W., 2016. Workplace diversity management in
Australia. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal.
Kim, H.K., Lee, U.H. and Kim, Y.H., 2015. The effect of workplace diversity management in a
highly male-dominated culture. Career Development International.
Lambert, J., 2016. Cultural diversity as a mechanism for innovation: Workplace diversity and the
absorptive capacity framework. Journal of Organizational Culture, Communications and
Conflict, 20(1), p.68.
Riccucci, N., 2018. Managing diversity in public sector workforces: Essentials of public policy
and administration series. Routledge.