By now, most people recognise that humans are subject to a range of unconscious biases which negatively impact decisions. Combatting these biases as an individual is difficult because, by definition, they are numerous and lurk beyond ordinary awareness. Working with global organisations, Symmetra advocates it as critical to focus on vital areas of biased decision-making. The research …
Women who complain that sexism, discrimination, casually dismissive attitudes towards females and victimisation are cultural, are often accused of paranoia or of having a fertile imagination. In fact, there is an abundance of evidence that many organisations simply overlook ´bad boy “behavior – or worse still, encourage it. California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing …
This week, like most Australians, I participated in the National Census. We were told that participating is an important part of telling Australia’s story. Yet the feelings I’m left with after completing the census is ‘this is not my Australia, or my reality’. As an Organisational Psychologist and an equity, diversity, and inclusion consultant at …
A much-heralded decision of the US supreme Court last week has once again thrown the spotlight on LGBTQI rights. The case, Fulton v Philadelphia involved the right of gay couples to foster children which a Catholic vetting agency refused to sanction. The Court upheld the agency’s limited right not to participate in a process contrary …
On Tuesday, this week, the Australian Club on Macquarie Street in Sydney steadfastly refused to enter the 21st century by not admitting women as members. A specially -called vote recorded a resounding 62 per cent against admission of women and 37 per cent in favour. ‘Gentlemen’s Clubs’ are relics of the 18th century where British …
Humans are fallible. When making judgments or even when undertaking important decisions, we frequently haphazardly select information which suits our pre-dispositions. We easily rely on data which is inaccurate, inapposite or simply false. In the workplace, this deficiency leads to failures in business and talent management decisions. One factor which negatively impacts our decision-making …
I’ve been in the field of diversity and inclusion (D&I) for almost 15 years now — not as long as many, but long enough to have observed some of the significant trends and changes that have happened over time. The latest trend I’ve noticed (which I welcome wholeheartedly) might sound a little odd at first: …
The federal budget delivered last night may well mark an important ideological and psychological shift in the attitude towards women in the parliament and other power centres in Australia. Unlike past years when platitudes have been the order of the day and lip-service has been paid to the rights, interests and apprehensions to the female …
How to get the balance between home and office working right? And how to encourage team cohesion, inclusivity and idea-sharing when employees are scattered in different locations? This is the conundrum now facing employers across the globe. By and large, employees do not want a return to five days a week in a central common …
The murder of African-American, George Floyd by a white policeman (now proven) has re-ignited a long-simmering debate in the USA about the systemic and institutional features of racism. President Biden said: “…we can and must do more to reduce the likelihood that a tragedy like this will never happen again”. More broadly, issues of systemic …