December 10th is Human Rights Day and is also the anniversary of the signing of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Australia stands proud as one of the principal drafters of the Declaration. HV Evatt of Australia chaired the General Assembly when it was adopted and Australia has since signed most relevant treaties. Yet …
For many employers, the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion start and end with those they identify as formal employees. This is no longer an economically viable nor a morally consistent position for employers to take in the 21st century. Moreover it undercuts some of the basic premises of an inclusive workplace where choices and …
Symmetra congratulates Lorraine Finlay on her appointment, from 22 November, for the next 5 years as Australia’s Human rights Commissioner. Ms. Finlay holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Western Australia from and a dual Masters degree in Law and Global Economy from NYU. The position is an extremely …
Tim Paine, Australia’s Cricket captain is the latest high-profile individual to fall on his sword because of sexting. While sexting is a problem which has become widespread particularly amongst teenagers, it is certainly not uncommon amongst adults. Paine’s exchange with an employee of Cricket Tasmania took place some four years ago. It has been apparently …
The findings of the report by Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, into the sexist culture in Parliament House are possibly even worse than most outsiders could have imagined. It seems that many staffers and particularly young women live and work in a state of apprehension and sometimes of downright fear that ordinary workplace interaction could …
Workplace incivility is on the rise and employers need to take note. Aligned with this, Symmetra is experiencing an increase in requests to address it. Workplace incivility does not generally consist of yelling and like behaviour. It is defined as “low intensity deviant behaviour with ambiguous intent to harm the target in violation of workplace norms for …
As we come to the end of October 2021, Symmetra can mark together with our many LGBTIQ friends and colleagues, the passing of a noteworthy month celebrating the achievements of those who belong to this community. The observance was first suggested by a Missouri school teacher in 1994 . The idea of a month-long tribute …
Diversity has just breached another long-standing and socially destructive barrier. This time it is a famous Comic-book publication which has cast aside the notion that only white alpha males can be seen as heroes. The son of Superman, Jonathan Kent, himself a superhero, is portrayed in an openly gay relationship. Increasingly books, toys, movies and …
We at Symmetra have always urged our clients to accept the proposition that diversity, equity and inclusion are strategic imperatives. It can no longer be just a useful PR marketing tool or a sometimes beneficial add-on to corporate social responsibility. All our successful global clients have unreservedly taken this principle on board. However, as we …
Work culture cannot and will not be the same after COVID-19. It is a truism that is almost universally acknowledged. The question is: precisely how has it changed and what do organisations need to do to meet the new challenges? Several important answers are provided by the O.C. Tanner Institute, which has just released its …