Legal Career

Why diversity across the ditch is flourishing – and how Australian firms can get there too

When a diverse, inclusive workplace becomes the defaultyour people become more curious, compassionate and committed. Because when you promote psychological safety, everyone feels comfortable to speak up and contribute. 

While New Zealand is making significant strides to foster inclusive workplaces, Australian firms still have some catching up to do. 

 

So we spoke with Kiwis Steven Colligan and Kate Armstrong – leadership and psychological health experts – to learn about what steps we can all take to nurture a more inclusive future.

 

Reflecting the diversity of thought around us

 

“A diverse workforce reflects the world around us,” says Kate, psychotherapist and leadership facilitator at FrontTier – a Division of the College of Law New Zealand.


Fostering diversity and inclusion is more than mere representation or a benchmark to reach. It’s a continual process of creating workplaces where people can bring and express all of themselves.


“When we have someone else in the room who might understand our perspective, we feel more comfortable speaking up. When you build that sense of belonging and safety, your people will feel seen, valued and want to share their ideas.”
Steven, psychotherapist and leadership facilitator at FrontTier – a Division of the College of Law New Zealand, encourages firms to approach diversity from a constructive mindset.

 

“Instead of focusing on what differentiates us, we need to welcome what actually brings us together,” says Steven. “Inclusive workforces are deeply curious and embrace diversity of thought.”


The broader benefits to businesses


Beyond being socially responsible, inclusive firms benefit from a wider range of insights, service offerings and a broader client portfolio – which helps to mitigate risk.


“Homogenised groupthink can become a risk for your business,” says Steven. “So diversity of thought can help your team explore a wider scope of viewpoints and delve down paths they might have overlooked.”


Kate champions psychological safety to promote deeper engagement throughout your organisation.


“A more welcoming, inclusive work environment fosters trust between your people. From interns to the most senior partners, your firm will generate richer participation and commitment,” says Kate.


“And you’ll also start to benefit from ‘discretionary effort’. When your people are valued, they’ll feel that their opinions and contributions matter. They won’t simply turn up each day to do the bare minimum. Instead, your culture becomes much more involved and collaborative.”


Similar, yet worlds apart: Comparing New Zealand and Australia


It’s clear there are tremendous benefits to embracing diversity. So why then is New Zealand so much more progressive when it comes to more inclusive policies and the diversity of its workforce?


For Kate and Steven, the differences stretch back to the early contemporary histories of both countries.


On the societal level, Kiwis have been inclusion pioneers – particularly with their early realisation of equal rights for women and the LGBTQIA+ community. And Kate reflects on New Zealand’s education system where students are taught from a young age about the Treaty of Waitangi and the biculturalism of New Zealand.


But it’s more than just history and education setting the stage. On the commercial level, Steven notes how the country’s smaller size remains an advantage in disrupting diversity paradigms. While Australia’s larger organisations and more complex judicial system inherently have greater inertia to change.


“About 70% of our businesses are small to medium enterprises. Smaller businesses have a greater level of dexterity compared to more sizeable behemoths with entrenched norms, behaviours and systems,” says Steven.
“It's much easier to turn a small yacht than trying to turn the Titanic.”

 

But that doesn’t mean change can’t occur. In fact, it can be as simple as starting a conversation.


How Australian firms can inspire more inclusion


Kate encourages people and organisations to engage in more inclusive conversations with people from different backgrounds to gain a richer understanding of one another – without needing to reach a firm ‘outcome’.


“Simply have a conversation to get to know one another. Let's get started and see what diversity of thought we can explore,” says Kate.


And while diversity quotas attract arguments for and against their use, in Steven’s experience they’re often a helpful tool.


“When you're working with marginalised communities where fewer opportunities are a systemic concern, then we need an equitable playing field. By giving people the same opportunities that I’ve had, it doesn't mean that I have less opportunity.”


Kate and Steven also run unconscious bias workshops to help firms develop fairer practices and procedures. For example, when hiring staff, something as simple as blind CVs (where the person’s name, gender and age are removed) creates a level starting point for all applicants.
And every step forward, no matter how small, fosters a more inclusive future. In the workplace, more organisations are displaying artwork to commemorate Indigenous communities or holding sessions to celebrate International Women’s Day.


“While some ideas may seem forced at first, with time and commitment they will become more genuine and authentic. And they may even inspire others to lead and welcome new, larger inclusion initiatives,” says Steven.


The future of diversity: Embrace change and courageous conversations


While more progress still needs to be made on both sides of the Tasman, Steven and Kate are confident that our more inclusive future will continue to gain momentum – if we have courageous conversations.


“Start conversations from a place of genuine curiosity, not from a place of judgment, or needing to be right or wrong. To come together as a society, we need to tolerate and embrace our differences,” says Steven.


And the pandemic has given diversity of thought a much-needed jolt too.


“It's forced us to stop and re-examine how we work, why we work and what's our value system. It’s been the catalyst for organisations to question and confront old paradigms and constructs,” says Steven.


Kate encourages workplaces to welcome, rather than resist, these changes. Particularly in professions like law, where expertise and certainty in our convictions has been the standard model.


“Change can be challenging and uncomfortable. But to benefit from shifting workplace dynamics, we need to be open to learning. That’s how we grow and adapt – as individuals and as organisations,” says Kate.