Workplace equality policy design
Gender inequality, harassment and discrimination persist in Australian workplaces. By ensuring women and gender diverse people are fully respected at work, workplaces can contribute to creating a safer community for all. Local governments have a particularly important role to play in improving workplace equality, as both community leaders and employers of a diverse range of workers.
Ahead of the new gender equality legislation coming into force in Victoria, Maroondah City Council engaged Emma Blomkamp to redesign equal opportunity policies and processes, with a focus on building organisational readiness and capability to achieve gender equity goals.
The Workplace Equality Project involved meaningful engagement with a diverse range of the council’s 1200 employees, development of policy, establishment of governance recommendations, and delivery of training sessions.
Building awareness and momentum for change
We formed a working group of 18 employees from across the organisation to build awareness and capability for gender equity and inclusive workplace culture, while reviewing and making recommendations on organisational policies and practices. I designed and facilitated four online workshops and peer coaching sessions with the working group, as well as a leadership forum workshop with 70 directors and managers.
While Victoria experienced its second lockdown in 2020, I designed and conducted stakeholder and advisor consultations, as well as an organisation-wide employee survey, and collated and reviewed current data, policies and procedures on equal opportunity and gender equity. Engaging with my analysis via interactive workshops, the working group could accurately identify their organisation’s understanding, gaps, attitudes and scope for improvement in workplace equality.
Designing for policy and organisational change
Outputs of the six-month project included:
Capability-building workshops
Workplace Equality Audit
Discussion Paper
Draft Gender Equity Action Plan
Recommended structure and Terms of Reference for the Equal Opportunity Committee and Contact Officers
Further recommendations around implementation, accountability and communications in the final report.
Organisational change is not achieved simply by writing a discussion paper or a new policy or plan – it needs to live and breathe through the words and actions of people in the organisation. Throughout this project, the working group, Equal Opportunity Committee members and organisational leaders began contributing to positive outcomes by modelling respectful working relationships and by taking strategic and pragmatic action to improve workplace equality.
What the project partners said
“Emma, you have done an incredible job within the limited time we've had together. Bringing a group together on such a complex range of issues - and online - has been a huge accomplishment. The report is so comprehensive and covers so many of the issues we raised - we are privileged to have such an amazing resource as an outcome for the project. [Now] I have a blueprint to guide me/us moving forward.”
— Project lead
“It has been fantastic to be involved in this working group and seeing the passion within the group. Personally it has helped me understand the importance of this work and be more aware of my actions, which I think this type of education and information that can help many others similar to me when I started this work.”
— Working group member
“[The final report] is very comprehensive and thoroughly outlines requirements of the new Act for Council, articulates the feedback from the consultancy, whilst also framing the key strategies and actions moving forward...
We have sincerely appreciated your professionalism, flexibility, attention to details and commitment to quality outcomes.”