Jason Teoh, FCPHR 🏳️‍🌈

Asuria launches new Australian Centre for Delivering Employability Excellence in Practice Strategic partnership with the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP) to improve job outcomes for people with disability and those furthest from the labour market. Leading employment services provider, Asuria, today announces the launch of the new ‘Australian Centre for Delivering Employability Excellence in Practice’, a strategic partnership with the Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP), to build and deliver practical and measurable employability best practice across Australia’s employment services industry, for the benefit of the millions of job seekers it supports into meaningful, sustainable employment each year, including people with disability. https://lnkd.in/eP6MCk3b @IEPInfoAustralia @AsuriaAustralia #C-DEEP #ExcellenceinEmployability

7

International Day of People with Disability 2024 focuses on ‘Amplifying the leadership of people with disabilities’. There are so many events in so many places but what we all really want is inclusion and an equal world.  Today I had the privilege of addressing the Department of Education at Marcus Clarke St in Canberra. I entitled my speech: “The Amplification of the leadership of people with disabilities strengthening strategic leadership and direction for the education system”. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities set out a vision for disability leadership and a more equal society. This was emphasised by the Disability Royal Commission and is central to the “nothing about us unless it is led by us” mantra. I believe in a world that is more inclusive. I further believe  higher education is the machine which can lead us to that world. We educate, we employ, we produce research and innovation and always punch above our weight in benefiting the nation. Today is no different. Today I got to work with policy experts and help craft workable solutions that will benefit everyone.  I was asked today “are you an optimist or a realist?” I say realist. Higher education helps make the impossible possible and translate dreams to a reality. Of course, my positive perspective is helped by the fact I work at a university that has been ranked #1 in Australia by the Australian Financial Review for the last 2 years and is a powerhouse at creating change. Since I am talking about the University of Queensland, let me plug our new #UQ Champions of Change Disability Inclusion Research and Innovation Plan: <https://lnkd.in/eBa8cz4z> This Plan outlines a bold vision for excellence in disability inclusion research at UQ. Developed in consultation with the research community, the Plan is a blueprint for enabling disability research, and researchers, across the University. It includes 24 actions aimed at supporting researchers with disabilities, enabling partnerships to support disability research and driving research excellence. Although this was exciting, it has meant I will be missing the UQ Disability Inclusion Advocacy Network #DIAN event! If you are on campus, then check that out!   Kate Chipperfield Kirsty Douglas Martie-Louise Verreynne Sarah Brown Jean McBain Brooke Szücs

27

1 Comment

A big thank you to Michael at Evolve WA for the Trauma Informed Practice workshop. The vast majority of people in the world have been impacted by trauma in some way and this presents itself in so many ways. Kate Page and I attended and loved exploring how a trauma-informed approach applies to our workplace investigations and psychosocial safety in the workplace. We also explored boundaries - we need to keep ourselves safe so we can create a safe space for others. The top two takeaways are 💡 1️⃣ People need to feel physically and psychosocially safe to heal and be at their best 2️⃣ Decisions in the workplace are best made with transparency and the goal of building and maintaining trust The latter one is often tricky for People & Culture functions as confidentiality is often a complicating factor - how do you respect the rights of the individual, the law, organisational policy and the need for knowledge, openness and transparency within a team? (A tricky balance as these are often diametrically opposed) ⚖️ Other core principles of a trauma-informed approach are 🔵 Peer support 🔵 Collaboration 🔵 Empowerment 🔵 Humility & responsiveness We are both looking forward to applying these principles in current and future workplace investigations. #workplaceinvestigations #psychosocialsafety #CPD #traumainformed #peopleandculture #HRinPerth

19

2 Comments

I've just received an AHRCF Micro-credential through AHRI, verifying my capability in Workforce Effectiveness (Workforce Planning, Industrial Relations, Organisational Design, Work Design). View my verified AHRCF Micro-Credential here.

5

2 Comments

Updated workforce engagement and OECD data - 2024 | For the research we've been doing for the TFN pitch presentation, we have updated data about disability workforce engagement in Australia and an updated OECD insight. Only 48% of Australians with disability are engaged in the workforce. This is a reduction from 53% as it was in 2010. It seems the OECD has also had a reduction, so despite our reduced engagement, our standing against the OECD has increased from 22nd place to around 15. What is notable is that the number of Australians with a disability who live on or near the poverty line has increased from 40% in 2010 to 45% in 2024. Whereas 13% of the Australian population as a whole live in poverty. 45% for Australians with disability compares to 20% as the average for the OECD. Over the last 30+ years, a succession of Australian governments (of both major parties) have spent over a billion dollars trying to improve the level of disability workforce engagement. However, they have only improved the rate by a pathetic 8% overall and a 7% decrease since 2010! The decreased workforce participation (48% down from 53%) and the increased rate of poverty (45% up from 40%) highlights the degree to which the typical disability job is not permitting Australians with disability to live a full life in dignity. This problem was also highlighted by the recent Royal Commission on Disability in Australia. We believe supporting Australians with disability should create their own job is the best and most constructive way to address these problems. We are a disability led and guided not-for-profit disability service. We believe supporting Australians with disability should create their own job is the best and most constructive way to address these problems. we are a registered charity with the ACNC (and have been awarded DGR status by the ATO) to help them do that. Do you know an Australian with a disability who wants to explore establishing their own venture, generating a bit more money, or increasing their social engagement? Please encourage them to complete the short form below. If they have any questions, they can contact us at [email protected] or 0436 480 769. #Enabled_vip #disability #incubator #gigster #hobbyists #volunteer #ndisprovider

5

2 Comments

I've just received an AHRCF Micro-credential through AHRI, verifying my capability in Workforce Effectiveness (Workforce Planning, Industrial Relations, Organisational Design, Work Design). View my verified AHRCF Micro-Credential here.

20

1 Comment

🚨 Struggling with tough conversations? The Changemaker Masterclass is here to help you navigate difficult discussions with confidence. Sharpen your advocacy skills and create real impact. 🌟 Secure your spot in Melbourne, Adelaide or Sydney 👉🏽

2

If 'Made in Australia' is the #FutureofWork, We Must Respect Caregiving and Confront Inflexible Work Practices Sharing my opinion in this latest article with Women's Agenda The Albanese Government’s $22.7 billion "Future Made in Australia" plan emphasises the importance of gender equity in the workplace. Research from the 2024 National Working Families Survey reveals persistent issues: rigid gender norms, career risks tied to flexible work, and insufficient family-friendly policies. Addressing these barriers is crucial for sustainable careers in emerging industries. Employers must promote inclusive, flexible work environments to retain talent and support working parents. #genderequality #familyfriendlyworkplaces

28

2 Comments

My colleague Jodie Fox's tips on how to get started with your Positive Duty Action Plans. Are you meeting your duty of care requirements? Thanks to HRD Australia for publishing. #positiveduty #hrd #hcamag #hr #whs #employees #risk #riskmanagement

9

1 Comment

I’ve posted about this before but our (Australia’s) employment rates of People with Disability are so poor compared to other OECD countries. With Unemployment Rates generally rising atm there’s a real concern that this wil disproportionately negatively impact People with Disability. And this is absolutely a real risk in the near future. When you put this challenge in the broader context of an aging workforce, the reality for most employers is that they will find it increasingly harder in the next 20 years to engage the people and skills their businesses need. So despite the current concerns, there’s a massive piece of work that we all need to undertake as a society to educate and support Employers to better engage People with Disability into employment. The same is true of a range of under engaged cohorts: disengaged youth, mature aged workers, single parents, First Nations peoples or migrants for example. (side note - if you think migrants are the cause of Australia’s housing shortage, please take yourself to a small corner and have a serious word with yourself 🤦‍♂️ We need their skills!) So despite the short term concerns, providers like BUSY and everyone in the employability, skills and education space have to keep an eye on the long term challenge. We have to make that cultural impact now! If Australia is going to compete on productivity in the future, we have to get this done! 💪🏻💪🏻 And of course, it’s just the right thing to do. 👏👏 So I’m feeling good about the future DES model, and really hope that we can improve those OECD rankings! Its a great start and that focus on localisation will be key to driving the change we need to get more Peope with Disability into employment. We’ve kicked off our Employer Hub for People with Disability this week. There’s so much we think we can do to make an impact 💪🏻 Keen to hear everyone thoughts on it and how we improve as a nation. Stacey Turnbull Simon Brown Leonie Carlile Kerry Gibb Rhys Morris FIEP Stephen Riley #unboundedpossibilities #makeadifference #impact

53

8 Comments

The Institute of Community Directors Australia and McKinsey & Company have prepared a week of free webinars for Leadership Week from 24 to 28 June 2024. The 2024 theme is 'Leading organisational change: Harnessing technology and workforce shifts to change the way our organisations deliver impact.' With unprecedented challenges and opportunities, not-for-profits are called upon to respond and adapt swiftly. Leadership Week will bring together leaders across the non-profit community to discuss the profound shifts facing their organisations and explore approaches that leaders can implement to navigate major change. There are webinars on: - Resetting mindsets and behaviors - Leveraging generative AI - Managing cybersecurity, and - Talent, growth and development. You can register here: https://lnkd.in/gqgFYtHH #governance #director #board #leadership

6

As an Aboriginal executive recruiter, I find it profoundly saddening to confront the reality of the underrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander executives in leadership positions. The statistics presented in the article are striking and serve as a grim reminder of the systemic barriers that Indigenous Australians face. For instance, the article notes that "only 3% of senior management positions are held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people." This figure starkly illustrates the significant gap in representation and raises pressing questions about the factors contributing to this disparity. The article also highlights the pervasive nature of racism that Aboriginal people encounter daily, stating that "Aboriginal people experience racism on a daily basis." This ongoing discrimination not only affects individual well-being but also hinders career advancement and access to opportunities. The effects of such racism can create a hostile environment in workplaces, making it difficult for Indigenous individuals to thrive and ascend to leadership roles. Moreover, the historical context of colonization and its lingering impact cannot be overlooked. The legacy of marginalisation has created significant disparities in education, employment, and economic opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Without targeted efforts to dismantle these barriers, it is challenging to envision a future where we see greater representation of Indigenous leaders in senior positions. To effect meaningful change, organisations must commit to developing inclusive recruitment and retention strategies and employee value propositions. It is also essential for organisations to engage authentically with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This involves not just tokenistic gestures but genuine partnerships that recognise the unique skills and experiences of Indigenous peoples. By doing so, companies can create pathways that empower Indigenous individuals to take on leadership roles. Ultimately, addressing the lack of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander executives requires a collective effort across various sectors. It is crucial for businesses to recognise that diversity is not merely a moral imperative but a strategic advantage. Diverse leadership brings a wealth of perspectives, fostering innovation and better decision-making. As a recruiter, I am committed to advocating for the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in leadership. It is time for companies to take decisive action, ensuring that the leadership landscape reflects the rich diversity of our nation. Only then can we begin to heal the wounds of the past and build a future that honors the contributions of all Australians. Pipeline Talent #beyondrecruitment #jointhepipeline #onejobatatime

98

7 Comments

📈 𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩? 📈 The positive relationship between trust and safety performance (physical, psychological & psychosocial) is well documented in the research. 𝙎𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩? At GYST Consulting Pty Ltd, we provide our clients with a valid, reliable and evidence-based survey that gives scores across the three key factors associated with trust (𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 & 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚), as well as an overall 𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙚. Additionally, the survey provides a rating of 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙥𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮 and associated variables such as 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. As well as the quantitative data, our survey also provides a wealth of 𝙦𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖 that 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙨, and enables 𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮. The survey is quick and easy to complete, and very reasonably priced 🎯 𝘛𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘺 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨: [email protected] #Trust #PsychologicalSafety #CareFactorProgram #SafetyLeadership

19

2 Comments

Coaching Reflections Today Today’s coaching sessions highlighted themes of change and resilience: Sydney-based Health Operations & Planning Professional – Exploring whether to stay in their current role or transition to new opportunities. Communications Specialist in WA – Navigating career possibilities after a redundancy, ready to carve a new path. Admin Professional in Melbourne – Actively seeking new roles following redundancy, focusing on leveraging key strengths. Events & HR Specialist in Melbourne – Transitioning from casual employment to a stable, permanent position. Redundancies are a recurring theme, yet I’m inspired by each client’s determination and readiness to embrace change. Coaching through uncertainty reminds me how adaptable and resilient people can be when supported with the right strategies and mindset. #CareerCoaching #CareerTransitions #Resilience #CoachingThroughChange #ProfessionalGrowth

4

For women to have equity in the workplace and access to opportunity we must take an intersectional approach encompassing anti- racism. Results of the 2024 Women of Colour Workplace Survey have been published by Women of Colour Australia . Our workplaces must do better ⬇️ ⬇️ ⬇️ 'Women of Colour across Australia had their say ◆ 2 in 3 Women of Colour have experienced discrimination in the workplace (68.4%) ◆ This is almost a 10% increase from 2021 (59.6%) ◆ Racism is the predominant type of discrimination experience (accounting for 93.8%) - gender equity without intersectionality, is compounding the harm Women of Colour face ◆ 2 in 5 Women of Colour do not have or are unsure about the availability of effective mechanisms to report discrimination (40.7%). ◆ Only 3 in 10 Women of Colour felt that if they did report discrimination, serious and appropriate action would be taken (29.7%); the vast majority felt any action would be superficial or no action would be taken or that they would face retaliation for doing so. ◆ Engagement ≠ retention, revealing structural issues persist in organisations ◆ The top 3 reasons for intention to leave their employer are (1) a lack of career progression and opportunities, (2)discrimination, racism and bias, and (3) job insecurity and temporary positions. ◆ 2 in 3 of Women of Colour actively navigate multiple identities at work (64.8%), with 1 in 3 reporting feeling exhausted and fatigued (33%.2%) ◆ The majority of Women of Colour have caring roles (54.4%) highlighting the need for flexible work and supportive policies ◆ Almost 3 in 4 (72%) of Women of Colour feel underpaid, with the vast majority asked to do unpaid work (80%) and expected to do more work than others at a similar level (88%). Meanwhile, their contributions are consistently undervalued. ◆ 6 in 7 Women of Colour are feel that they are not included in the decision-making process (85%), 4 in 5 are not listened to (81%), 5 in 7 are not given opportunities (70%), 1 in 2 don’t feel valued for their lived experiences and skills (55%).' https://lnkd.in/gpYg_PJX

13

Finally got to visit affirmation station by TGV | Transgender Victoria And spent a good hour talking Trans and Gender Diverse #employment with TGV CEO , discussing on how can we work together to address an issues that’s been overdue for at least half a century: poverty and unemployment our Trans and gender diverse and the more intersectional folx face. Here are some facts - Victorian #lgbtiqa adult total household income averages less than 40,000/ year, stats from Victorian Health Survey. From the same survey, almost half of the rainbow communities speak a language other than English. - significant overlapping between #neurodiversity and being LGB, especially being Trans and Gender Diverse. - across sectors, industries, live experience especially of Trans and Gender diverse experiences are stil not well presented in all levels of operations, leadership and governance. - recorded regression in workplace safety for LGB, Trans and Gender diverse people. - TGD people though are on lips of many advocates and allies, they still are not included in decision making processes that affects their livelihood. - advocacy within Rainbow space often if not always excludes discussion around supporting them to be financially independent, nor including them in various #safety discussion. Just a reminder: LGB, especially Trans and Gender Diverse people are at mutiple intersections: #AOD #domesticviolence #assault #forciblydisplaced and even more so when a person carrying Multifaith, multicultural identities, those of more advanced life stages. #genderequality does not work without trans people #lgbtiqa inclusion never happened without trans people #domesticviolence prevention is never fully addressed without inclusion of trans people #disability support #accessibility now means #trans support and trans accessibility, means trans Safe. #reconciliation embrace Indigenous (from global sense) means trans embracing. Your said work on #intersectionality is smoke and mirrors when you do not centre Trans and Gender Diverse people in your understanding, framework and policies. About the pic: here we are, a diverse representation of transness, being visible despite being invisible, forgotten on community leaders values and action; and even vilified in parliamentary corridors. We are holding a pristine in mint condition, authentic Balmain vinyl trousers. Somebody donated this piece to Affirmatiom Station. None of us could fit in it. It felt good when touched however.

33

3 Comments

Last week I attended the Australian HR Institute (AHRI) NSW State conference – Stretching our minds to bridge the divides.   For Human Resources professionals and those like me who support them, the mind stretching began by considering polarities. Are we moving towards compliance or connection?  Towards mediation or investigations? Given the change in Australia with increased legislation around psychosocial hazards and new Respect @Work laws, #HR professionals could be forgiven for whingeing about compliance. Instead those I spoke with echoed the speakers calls for connection, seeing increased connection between leaders and their people, and among the workforce in general as a way to ·     protect against psychosocial hazards ·     build respect and understanding ·     protect against loneliness and burnout ·     enable skilled responses to the pace and potential of change But it’s not easy. As John Chan, Ph.D. pointed out leadership needs changed during covid lockdowns and subsequent stress periods. Now leaders are expected to show authenticity and to be engaged and caring. Not all leaders have the skills to operate in this way. Not everyone in the workforce is skilled at having real conversations about the challenges that occur as we work with people who are different to us. Different generations, genders, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds to name just a few of the identities people hold at work which can impact on people's comfort in connecting. Add in different status and experience levels and those conversations can be scary. And those of you who know me, will know that I am thinking, – increase cultural intelligence #CQ and you can increase those skills. For those who have most recently joined the workforce it may be particularly difficult as their early workplace experiences could have been solely in the virtual realm. As suggested by speakers and echoed by those professionals at my table, some of this group are lacking the skills to have those real and sometimes difficult conversations. So, instead of a potential workplace psychosocial hazard being resolved through a first step conversation between the parties involved it is escalated with what Kathryn Dent MLLR LLB (Hons) GAICD CAHRI described as the ‘going nuclear’ option. Connection is the better way. As with the great panel on AI and the potential of its use with HR, we need to be ready to learn and to help others learn. We need to be ready to experiment and give things a try. Thank you Australian HR Institute (AHRI) for stretching my mind and to everyone at my table who fuelled and challenged my thinking to stretch further!

48

18 Comments