NZ Diversity Survey - benchmarking workplace diversity

AUT University’s New Zealand Work Research Institute (NZWRI) has released a report on diversity in New Zealand workplaces.

The report, based on data collected from business owners and employers between November 2013 and August 2014, is available at: http://www.workresearch.aut.ac.nz/nzdiversitysurvey

Professor Tim Bentley, Director of the NZWRI, led the research in collaboration with the EEO Trust and the Chamber of Commerce, Northern.

Key findings

Important diversity issues
The diversity issues most commonly perceived as important to organisations were: wellbeing, ageing workforce and flexibility. For many of those issues, organisations had a policy or programme/initiative in place, particularly for bullying and harassment (more than 80% of organisations). But less than 40% of organisations had a policy or programme relating to the ageing workforce.

Most common diversity practice
Flexible work arrangements including teleworking were the most common diversity practice, with approximately 60% of respondents’ organisations having staff members that telework at least one day a week.

Female representation
On average females held just under half of leadership and governance roles, but in both cases the proportion of female representation decreased with increased organisation size.

Disability and accessibility
Nearly 75% of respondents reported that their organisations were accessible for people who live with disabilities, a figure that improved as organisation size increased.

Ethnic minority representation
Less than 40% of respondents’ organisations had ethnic minority representation within their leadership or decision-making teams, with representation more likely in larger organisations.

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